Comparison of Lotrafilcon B and Balafilcon a Silicone Hydrogel Bandage Contact Lenses in Reducing Pain and Discomfort After Photorefractive Keratectomy: A Contralateral Eye Study Publisher Pubmed



Mohammadpour M¹ ; Amouzegar A¹ ; Hashemi H^{1, 2} ; Jabbarvand M¹ ; Kordbacheh H¹ ; Rahimi F¹ ; Hashemian MN¹ Show Affiliations
Source: Contact Lens and Anterior Eye Published:2015

Abstract

Purpose: To assess the effect of two silicone hydrogel contact lenses with high oxygen permeability in patients having photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). Setting: Farabi Eye Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Methods: Sixty patients (120 eyes) who had bilateral PRK were enrolled in this double blind clinical trial. Each patient was fitted with a Lotrafilcon B (Air Optix®AQUA, Ciba Vision, Duluth, GA, USA) lens in one eye and a Balafilcon A (PureVision™ Bausch & Lomb, Rochester, NY, USA) lens in the fellow eye. Patients' responses to a subjective questionnaire in terms of pain, foreign body sensation, photophobia, blurred vision and epiphora were evaluated on the first and third postoperative days. Results: Mean pain score for Lotrafilcon B and Balafilcon A contact lenses was 4.43. ±. 3.18 vs. 5.45. ±. 3.37 on the first postoperative day and 3.43. ±. 3.23 vs. 3.88. ±. 3.01 on the third postoperative day. However, the difference was only significant in the first 24. h after surgery (P= 0.032). Foreign body sensation was clinically higher with Balafilcon A contact lens (5.0. ±. 3.47 vs. 4.08. ±. 3.34 on day 1 and 4.98. ±. 3.52 vs. 3.55. ±. 3.20 on day 3) and the difference was statistically significant on the first and the third postoperative days (P= 0.042 and 0.002, respectively). There was no statistically significant difference between two contact lenses in terms of photophobia, epiphora and blurred vision (P>. 0.05). Conclusion: The Lotrafilcon B lens resulted in significantly less postoperative pain and discomfort after PRK, especially in the first 24. h after PRK. © 2015.