Dr. Loretta Szczotka-Flynn is an Associate Professor at the Department of Ophthalmology and visual Sciences at Case Western Reserve University and a leading US contact lens scientist and clinician. She reports on her breakthrough research on corneal infiltrates in low and high Dk contact lens materials. 

This Ciba Vision sponsored study explored risk for cornea infiltrative events in 30 day continuous wear patients.  The incidence of infiltrates increased over the three years of the study, peaking at 10% after 3 years.  Clinically significant infiltrates peaked at 3% after 2 and 3 years.

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Dr. Loretta Szczotka-Flynn is an Associate Professor at the Department of Ophthalmology and visual Sciences at Case Western Reserve University and a leading US contact lens scientist and clinician. She reports on her breakthrough research on corneal infiltrates in low and high Dk contact lens materials. 

Performing a meta-analysis of published data she determined that the risk of an infiltrative event is approximately 7 per 100 for low Dk extended wear and about 14 per 100 silicone hydrogel wearers per year.

Somewhat surprising was the doubled risk for infiltrative events in higher Dk silicone hydrogel wearers.  However these results are not mirrored by a reported increase in infection and may be due to the longer wearing period of silicone hydrogel lenses.

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Various combinations of contact lenses and care systems have been shown to produce uniquely different corneal staining patterns.  Dr. Andrasko has developed a standardized method of analyzing the cornea's physiological response to these distinctive groupings.  His on-going research demonstrates that those combinations that produce the greatest amount of staining typically cause the greatest amount of patient discomfort.

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Lyndon Jones was among the early pioneers first describing corneal staining associated with contact lens care products.  Dr. Jones is a Professor at the University of Waterloo in Canada and is a well-respected researcher in the area of contact lenses and related corneal science.

He describes his early work exploring corneal staining PHMB and group II contact lens materials. This research was the first to link preservatives and materials with corneal staining.  Dr. Jones also describes his landmark study regarding staining with silicone hydrogel materials and MPS preservatives which led to intense focus on this area.

Key points to keep in mind is that solution related staining is often asymptomatic, material and formulation dependent and, to some extent, patient dependent.

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