The Effect of Disposable Bandage Contact Lenses on Time and Velocity of Corneal Epithelial Healing after Myopic Epikeratoplasty

ABSTRACT

To investigate the effect of disposable contact lenses (CL) on the corneal epithelial healing, a prospective study of 30 myopic epikeratoplasties which were divided into 3 groups according to the method for promoting the corneal epithelial healing was conducted. The groups are consisted of 10 eyes with pressure patch, 10 eyes with Acuvue(R) disposable CL and 10 eyes with SeeQuence(R) disposable CL. Corneal epithelial healing was completed in the pressure patch, Acuvue(R) CL and SeeQuence(R) CL group at 3.4, 3.5 and 3.4 postoperative days, respectively. Corneal epithelial healing rate during postoperative 1, 2 and 3 days are 0.33, O.78, and O.44mm2/hour in pressure patch group, O.24, O.92 and O.37mm2/hour in Acuvue(R) CL group, and O.30, O.79 and O.38mm2/hour in SeeQuence(R) CL group respectively. From the above results, it is concluded that there was no statistically significant difference of the corneal epithelial healing time and rate between the pressure patching and disposable bandage CL wearing after myopic epikeratoplasty.