TY - JOUR
T1 - Efficacy and safety of the ProTek (Vifilcon A) therapeutic soft contact lens after photorefractive keratectomy
AU - Lim-Bon-Siong, Ruben
AU - Valluri, Shailaja
AU - Gordon, Mae E.
AU - Pepose, Jay S.
N1 - Funding Information:
From the Departments of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (Drs Lim-Bon-Siong, V&xi, Gordon, and Pepose) and Pathology (Dr Pepose), Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri. Supported in part by core grant EY 02687 from the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, and by Research to Prevent Blindness, Inc, New York, New York. Dt Pepose is the recipient of a Senior Scientist Award from Research to Prevent Blindness, Inc, New York, New York. Reprint requests to Jay S. Pepose, MD, PhD, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Scrences, Washington University School of Medicine, Campus Box 8096, 660 S Euclid Ave, St Louis, MO 63110; fax: (314) 362-0252; e-mail: [email protected]
PY - 1998/2
Y1 - 1998/2
N2 - PURPOSE: To test the ProTek (Vifilcon A) therapeutic soft contact lens in the alleviation of post-photorefractive keratectomy pain, its effect on epithelial healing, and its safety. METHODS: Forty-seven consecutive eligible patients undergoing unilateral excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy for myopia were randomly assigned to receive standard postoperative care with or without the use of a ProTek soft contact lens. Patients prospectively graded a self-administered 5-point scale for pain and a 4-point scale for abnormal sensations at 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20 hours after surgery. They also recorded the type and dose of all medications taken during that time period. All patients were examined on the first and third days after surgery. The lenses were worn continuously for 3 days. RESULTS: The soft contact lens group (n = 24) disclosed a statistically significant (P < .05) reduction in pain intensity and abnormal sensations that was greatest at 8, 12, 16, and 20 hours postoperatively. Compared with control patients (n = 23), the soft contact lens group showed significant decreased dependence on most pain medications after the 12th hour (P < .05) and faster epithelial healing (P = .03). However, one case of bacterial keratitis, two cases of subepithelial infiltrates, and seven cases of contact lens intolerance were present in the soft contact lens group. CONCLUSIONS: The ProTek therapeutic soft contact lenses were effective in decreasing pain and other related abnormal sensations after excimer photorefractive keratectomy. They decreased dependence on pain medications and hastened epithelial healing but were not well tolerated in some patients.
AB - PURPOSE: To test the ProTek (Vifilcon A) therapeutic soft contact lens in the alleviation of post-photorefractive keratectomy pain, its effect on epithelial healing, and its safety. METHODS: Forty-seven consecutive eligible patients undergoing unilateral excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy for myopia were randomly assigned to receive standard postoperative care with or without the use of a ProTek soft contact lens. Patients prospectively graded a self-administered 5-point scale for pain and a 4-point scale for abnormal sensations at 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20 hours after surgery. They also recorded the type and dose of all medications taken during that time period. All patients were examined on the first and third days after surgery. The lenses were worn continuously for 3 days. RESULTS: The soft contact lens group (n = 24) disclosed a statistically significant (P < .05) reduction in pain intensity and abnormal sensations that was greatest at 8, 12, 16, and 20 hours postoperatively. Compared with control patients (n = 23), the soft contact lens group showed significant decreased dependence on most pain medications after the 12th hour (P < .05) and faster epithelial healing (P = .03). However, one case of bacterial keratitis, two cases of subepithelial infiltrates, and seven cases of contact lens intolerance were present in the soft contact lens group. CONCLUSIONS: The ProTek therapeutic soft contact lenses were effective in decreasing pain and other related abnormal sensations after excimer photorefractive keratectomy. They decreased dependence on pain medications and hastened epithelial healing but were not well tolerated in some patients.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0032007348&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S0002-9394(99)80087-7
DO - 10.1016/S0002-9394(99)80087-7
M3 - Article
C2 - 9467442
AN - SCOPUS:0032007348
SN - 0002-9394
VL - 125
SP - 169
EP - 176
JO - American journal of ophthalmology
JF - American journal of ophthalmology
IS - 2
ER -