Background

Since the introduction of Silicone hydrogel (SiHy) contact lenses 20 years ago, industry has continued to modify lens materials, designs, lens care products and manufacturing processes, striving to improve contact lens physiological performance, comfort, and convenience for wearers. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the ocular health of habitual soft contact lens wearers today is better than it was in previous decades.

Methods

Baseline ocular physiology data for 3624 participants from a The Brien Holden Vision Institute clinical trials database were retrospectively reviewed. Records were grouped into 3 time periods; A: >2 decades ago (1997–1999), B: one decade ago (2009–2014) and C: recent years (since 2015). Physiology data for both neophytes and habitual contact lens wearers included; bulbar, limbal and upper palpebral conjunctival redness, corneal and conjunctival staining and conjunctival indentation from contact lenses.

Results

Corneal staining levels are similar between neophytes and contact lens wearers at time points A and C but worse for contact lens wearers at time point B. Limbal redness was greater in contact lens wearers than in neophytes at time point A but at time points B and C they are not different to the non-contact lens wearing population. In recent years, most ocular physiological variables in habitual contact lens wearers are similar to neophytes.

Conclusions

While there have been changes over the past two decades in ocular physiological responses to contact lens wear, it appears that ocular health with current day contact lens wear is similar to no lens wear in most respects.

中文翻译：

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20年软性隐形眼镜配戴者眼部生理数据回顾

背景

自 20 年前推出硅水凝胶 (SiHy) 隐形眼镜以来，业界不断改进镜片材料、设计、镜片护理产品和制造工艺，努力提高隐形眼镜的生理性能、舒适度和佩戴者的便利性。这项研究的目的是调查今天习惯性软性隐形眼镜佩戴者的眼部健康是否比前几十年更好。

方法

对来自 Brien Holden Vision Institute 临床试验数据库的 3624 名参与者的基线眼部生理数据进行了回顾性审查。记录分为 3 个时间段；A：> 2 十年前（1997-1999），B：十年前（2009-2014）和 C：最近几年（自 2015 年以来）。包括新手和习惯性隐形眼镜佩戴者的生理学数据；角膜缘、角膜缘和上睑结膜发红，角膜和结膜染色以及隐形眼镜的结膜凹陷。

结果

新手和隐形眼镜佩戴者在时间点 A 和 C 的角膜染色水平相似，但在时间点 B 隐形眼镜佩戴者的角膜染色水平更差。 在时间点 A 时，隐形眼镜佩戴者的角膜缘发红程度高于新手，但在时间点 B 和 C他们与非隐形眼镜佩戴人群没有区别。近年来，习惯性隐形眼镜佩戴者的大多数眼部生理变量与新手相似。

结论

虽然在过去二十年中，佩戴隐形眼镜的眼部生理反应发生了变化，但目前佩戴隐形眼镜的眼部健康似乎在大多数方面与不佩戴隐形眼镜相似。