Is the Use of Empirically Designed Custom Soft Contact Lenses a Good Option for Challenging Patients?

Purpose: Reasons for the lack of success for contact lens patients range from poor fit, to discomfort or to a less than optimum wearing schedule. This project was a preliminary investigation of customized soft toric contact lenses as an alternative for unsuccessful contact lens patients or potential drop-outs. Methods: Fifteen healthy non-compromised, previously unsuccessful contact lens wearing patients (13 women, 2 men) with ages from 21 to 33 years (25.1 ± 2.7 years) were the subjects for this study. They were empirically fitted with 15 astigmatic and 5 spherical customized SpecialEyes soft contact lenses. Visual acuities, comfort, lens movement, and rotation were evaluated. Results: Patients fitted with customized SpecialEyes soft contact lenses had statistically significant better visual acuities than with Phoropter Manifest Refraction. The lenses used in this study centered well and moved no more than 1 mm upon each blink. Lens rotation was less than 10 degrees for all toric lenses. Patients gave very positive vision and comfort ratings. Conclusion: This preliminary study supports the application of a software program to empirically design and manufacture Special Eyes custom soft lenses based upon corneal topographical parameters and subjective manifest refraction for those patients who either have challenging corneal parameters, high sphero-cylindrical prescriptions, or are currently dissatisfied with their contact lenses and are potential drop-outs.