Performance of low versus high water content plus lenses for presbyopes

Abstract

This study compared the clinical performance of thin low water content (LWC) and standard thickness high water content (HWC) low plus hydrogel lenses. In two separate 3-month trials, 10 presbyopic subjects wore monovision correction, consisting of an LWC distance lens and an HWC near lens (Trial 1) and then HWC lenses for both distance and near (Trial 2). The corneal edema response was assessed, using striae and folds counts, after 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months of daily lens wear. Corneal staining, subjective comfort, and lens preference were also recorded. Overall, a significantly greater striae and folds response was found with the thin LWC lenses than with the thicker HWC lenses, after an average of 5 hours of open-eye lens wear. The severity of the edema response did not correlate with levels of corneal staining or with comfort and preference responses. We conclude that HWC lenses are preferable to LWC lenses in low plus powers for presbyopic patients.