CL - Extended Wear - Week -3 Flashcards
Define Extended Wear (EW) and Continuous Wear (CW)
EW: CLs worn continuously for a period of up to 7 days (6 nights)
CW: CLs worn continuously for up to 30 days
What is adequate oxygen supply to the cornea essential for? (2)
Normal epithelial aerobic metabolism
Elimination of waste products
How can the wearing of low oxygen transmissible contact lenses affect the cornea? (1)
Corneal hypoxia and oedema.
Oxygen-deficient corneal metabolism leads to an accumulation of lactate, which lowers the rate of fluid pumped out of the cornea. This leads to oedema/swelling.
How does sleep (eyelid closure) affect: corneal oxygen levels, lens temperature, tear pH, and tear osmolarity
Corneal oxygen: reduces by 4%
Lens temperature: up by 2 degrees (C)
Tear pH: more acidic
Tear osmolarity: reduces (hypotonic shift)
By how much does the cornea swell during sleep?
4% on average
By how much does oedema reduce during the day in: hydrogel EWs, and RGP EWs?
Hydrogel: 8% reduction in oedema
RGP: 10% reduction in oedema
What is the minimum Dk/t set by Holden-Mertz for daily wear and overnight wear lenses?
Daily: 24
Overnight: 87
What revision to the Holden-Mertz criteria is being considered and why?
EW critical Dk/t set to 125 to prevent stromal anoxia
Is corneal swelling uniform? Explain
No it isn’t
Peripheral > central
Are adapted contact lens wearers more resistant to corneal swelling than non contact lens wearers or vice-versa?
Adapted contact lens wearers are more resistant to corneal swelling
What is the minimum concentration of oxygen for no reduction in physiological function?
~10%
List 6 possible indications for EW contact lenses
Convenience Aphakes (absence of lens in eye) Anisometropic infants Therapeutic Occupation Pre-refractive surgery
List 4 therapeutic uses for EW contact lenses
Bullous keratopathy
Dry eye disease
Post corneal surgery
RCEs
List 8 lifestyle considerations for EW contact lenses
Strong hx of CL non-compliance Smoking Regular Swimming Chronic bleph or MGD Severe drye eye Previous corneal inflammatory events Immunocompromise
Why do we not use hydrogel soft contact lenses?
They do not meet Holden-Mertz criteria
Do RGP lenses meet the Holden-Mertz criteria?
yes
What ocular effect of hydrogel extended wear lenses is evident after a few hours of wear?
Limbal hyperaemia
List 6 ocular effects of hydrogel EW wear
Limbal hyperaemia Epithelial microcysts Stromal oedema Stromal neovascularisation Endothelial blebs Endothelial polymegathism
What are epithelial microcysts, and when do they occur in a hydrogel EW lens patient?
5-30um inclusions composed of necrotic cells/debris that occur after more than 2 months of corneal hypoxia
Where do epithelial microcysts originate?
originate deep in the epithelium and migrate anteriorly over time
How can you examine epithelial microcysts?
reversed illumination with retroillumination
Is stromal oedema from Hydrogel EWs acute or chronic? Is it reversible?
Acute and reversible
How can you resolve stromal neovascularisation in a hydrogel lens wearer? How long does this take?
Vascular response regresses after 1 month of re-fitting to a higher Dk/t lens
What are endothelial blebs? How long do they last after lens removal?
Short term oedematous cells that disappear within ten minutes of lens removal
Describe endothelial polymegathism. Why does it occur and what can it lead to?
a permanent increase in variability in the size of corneal endothelial cells in response to chronic hypoxia. Contact lens intolerance is likely with time