Response of the Aging Eye to First Day of Modern Material Contact Lens Wear.

Objectives: To investigate the ocular surface of an aged population wearing a daily disposable contact lens (CL) over their 1st day of wear.

Methods: Forty eyes from 40 presbyopic subjects were fitted a daily CL (Delefilcon A). Tear osmolarity, tear meniscus area (TMA), and ocular surface aberrations (total higher-order root mean square [RMS]) were assessed at baseline (t0), at 20 min (t1) and after 8 hr (t2) of wear. Fluorescein corneal and conjunctival staining and tear breakup time (TBUT) were performed at t0 and t2.

Results: No statistically significant changes were found between t0, t1, and t2 for TMA and between t0 and t2 for fluorescein corneal and conjunctival staining. Tear breakup time worsened by the end of the day from 10.4±0.4 sec t0 to 9.0±0.3 sec t2 (P<0.05). Osmolarity showed significant changes between t0 306.9±2.3 mOsm/L and t1 312.4±2.4 mOsmol/L (P=0.02) but returned to baseline values at 8 hr (310.40±2.26 mOsm/L; P=0.09). Total higher-order RMS showed significant changes between t0 0.38±0.02 μm and t1 0.61±0.04 μm (P≤0.001) and between t0 and t2 0.64±0.41 μm (P≤0.001).

Conclusions: Delefilcon A may induce measures changes (osmolarity and TBUT values) in a presbyopic population; however, TMA and vital staining were maintained at the baseline level over the day.