Assessment of corneal thickness and tear meniscus during contact-lens wear

Abstract

Purpose: To assess the effect of seven different daily disposable contact lenses upon corneal thickness, as well as upon tear meniscus volume, by using optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Methods: Thirty-four young healthy subjects wore seven different types of daily disposable soft contact lenses, each for a period of 12h: Delefilcon A, Nelfilcon A, Omafilcon A, Filcon II3, Narafilcon A, Etafilcon A and Hilafilcon B. Central and mid-peripheral corneal thickness and lower tear meniscus volume (TMV) were measured using an OCT device during contact-lens wear at 4-h intervals throughout a 12-h period. Measurements were also recorded without any contact lenses being worn during a day.

Results: In the no-lens scenario a small but significant (p<0.05) thinning in the cornea was observed after the 12-h period. Overall, as for contact-lens wear, it was the Hilafilcon B lens that caused the greatest thickness increase in the central area, whereas the Etafilcon A caused it in the mid-peripheral cornea. Delefilcon A was the lens that showed the most similar behavior to the naked eye. As for TMV, it decreased with all the lenses, but it was the Delefilcon A lens the one that caused the smallest drop in TMV (p=0.007).

Conclusions: OCT makes it possible to evaluate both corneal thickness variations and TMV changes as a result of contact-lens wear. The changes in corneal thickness hereafter presented are not clinically significant. On the other hand, TMV drop could indicate discomfort for contact-lens users.

Keywords: Contact lenses; Cornea; Corneal thickness; OCT; Tear meniscus volume.