CONTACT LENSRELATED PROBLEMS AND COMPLICATIONS

Course overview

CONTACT LENSES (CL) ARE ARTIFICIAL DEVICES WORN OVER THE EYE'S FRONT SURFACE. THE LENSES SUBSTITUTE FOR THE ANTERIOR SURFACE OF THE CORNEA, AND IN ADDITION TO VISION CORRECTION, THEY CORRECT THE CORNEAL IRREGULARITIES. IF NOT TAKEN CARE OF PROPERLY, CL WORN OVER THE EYE MAY RESULT IN CONJUNCTIVAL AND CORNEAL COMPLICATIONS SECONDARY TO HYPOXIC CHANGES, CHEMICAL TOXICITY, HYPERSENSITIVITY REACTIONS, MECHANICAL TRAUMA, INFECTION, AND DESICCATION. THE VARIOUS CORNEAL COMPLICATIONS INCLUDE EPITHELIAL EDEMA, MICROCYSTS, ABRASIONS, SUPERFICIAL PUNCTATE KERATITIS, PERIPHERAL CORNEAL STAINING, STERILE CORNEAL INFILTRATES, CORNEAL NEOVASCULARIZATION, MICROBIAL INFECTION, AND INFECTION KERATITIS, WARPAGE, AND ENDOTHELIAL CHANGES. THE CONJUNCTIVAL COMPLICATIONS INCLUDE ALLERGIC CONJUNCTIVITIS, GIANT PAPILLARY CONJUNCTIVITIS, AND SUPERIOR LIMBIC KERATOCONJUNCTIVITIS. THE OTHER LISTED COMPLICATIONS CAN BE PHYSICAL DAMAGE TO THE LENS AND DISCOLORATION. CL-RELATED COMPLICATIONS HAVE DECREASED WITH CL MATERIALS, MANUFACTURING TECHNIQUES, AND OCULAR HYGIENE ADVANCES. THIS ACTIVITY DEALS WITH THE CL COMPLICATIONS, ISSUES OF CONCERN, AND CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF CL.