Tinted Soft Contact Research Articles

Effect of different tinted soft contact lenses on the tear quality and ocular surface properties

Different designs for contact lenses can result in insufficient oxygen permeability of the lenses. Moreover, the contact lens wearing schedule, replacement, lens care systems, and purchase methods are all important considerations for contact lens wearers. To evaluate the influence of tinted contact lenses with the pigment layer in different locations on the tear quality and ocular surface properties, as well as the subjective experience of the wearer In this randomized double-blind study, 30 healthy subjects (60 eyes) were randomly assigned to two groups. The pigment layer of lenses in group I was embedded within the matrix, close to the front surface, while that in group II was located on the front surface of the lens. Subjects wore the contact lenses for 7 days, 8 h a day. In both groups, the frequency of blinking after lens wear increased significantly relative to that before lens wear. The tear-breakup time was significantly shorter in group II than in group I. Temporal bulbar conjunctiva, nasal bulbar conjunctiva, temporal limbal, nasal limbal, and eyelid redness levels in both groups, and corneal staining levels in group II, were significantly increased after 7-day lens wear. Nasal bulbar conjunctiva, temporal limbal, and nasal limbal redness; eyelid smoothness; and corneal staining levels were significantly higher in group II. There was no significant between-group difference in the subjective experience. Ocular surface properties deteriorated while the frequency of blinking increased after wear of both types of tinted contact lenses for 7 days. Both designs resulted in insufficient oxygen permeability of the contact lenses.

Assessment of ocular surface response to tinted soft contact lenses with different characteristics and pigment location

This study investigated the characteristics and location of the pigment layer of commercially available tinted contact lenses and evaluated ocular surface properties. The rub-off test and anterior segment Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography were used to analyze the pigment layer of the lenses. They also completed a rating questionnaire of subjective symptom perception after wearing. Among the four groups, there were significant differences in the ocular surface properties on day 3 (p < 0.05). Most of the ocular surface properties were significantly different between baseline and after being worn on day 1, day 3 and day 7 (p < 0.05), especially for tinted contact lenses with pigment layers on the lens surface. On initial wearing of the tinted contact lenses, contact between pigment layers on the surface of the lens and ocular tissues appeared to irritate the ocular surface more than non-pigment layers on the surface. Pigment-tinted soft contact lenses with lower oxygen permeability may cause worse ischemic signs on the ocular surface. However, the ocular surface adapted gradually and the symptoms decreased after wearing the tinted contact lens.

Therapeutic Contact Lenses with Polymeric Vehicles for Ocular Drug Delivery: A Review.

The eye has many barriers with specific anatomies that make it difficult to deliver drugs to targeted ocular tissues, and topical administration using eye drops or ointments usually needs multiple instillations to maintain the drugs’ therapeutic concentration because of their low bioavailability. A drug-eluting contact lens is one of the more promising platforms for controllable ocular drug delivery, and, among various manufacturing methods for drug-eluting contact lenses, incorporation of novel polymeric vehicles with versatile features makes it possible to deliver the drugs in a sustained and extended manner. Using the diverse physicochemical properties of polymers for nanoparticles or implants that are selected according to the characteristics of drugs, enhancement of encapsulation efficiency and prolonged drug release are possible. Even though therapeutic contact lenses with polymeric vehicles allow us to achieve sustained ocular drug delivery, drug leaching during storage and distribution and the possibility of problems related to surface roughness due to the incorporated vehicles still need to be discussed before application in a real clinic. This review highlights the overall trends in methodology to develop therapeutic contact lenses with polymeric vehicles and discusses the limitations including comparison to cosmetically tinted soft contact lenses.

Can special tinted soft contact lenses help to reduce migraine attacks?

Can special tinted soft contact lenses help to reduce migraine attacks?

Effects of Pigment Location in Tinted Contact Lenses on the Ocular Surface.

To evaluate the effects of the location of pigments in decorative tinted soft contact lenses on the ocular surface. Thirty test subjects were enrolled in this study. All subjects wore the following types of contact lenses, classified according to the location of the pigment layer, in one eye in three different testing sessions: conventional clear lenses, tinted lenses with a pigment layer embedded in the lens matrix, and tinted lenses with an exposed pigment layer on the surface. Tear samples were collected, the ocular surface status was evaluated, and subjective symptoms were surveyed after lens wear for 8 hours. The tinted lenses with surface pigments resulted in a greater increase in epidermal growth factor and interleukin-8 levels compared with the clear lenses and tinted lenses with embedded pigments (p < 0.050). Ocular surface parameters and subjective symptom scores were significantly different among three lens types (p < 0.050), with the clear lenses showing superior results compared with the two tinted lenses (p < 0.050). The tinted lenses with exposed pigments resulted in a greater degree of conjunctival redness and ocular surface staining and poorer symptom scores compared with the tinted lens with embedded pigments (p < 0.050). Our results suggest that the presence of surface pigments in tinted contact lenses increases ocular inflammation and results in a poorer ocular surface status and greater discomfort compared with clear lenses and tinted lenses with an embedded pigment layer.

Effect of the pigment-free optical zone diameter of decorative tinted soft contact lenses on visual function

AimsWe investigated changes in visual function after wearing decorative tinted soft contact lenses with different pigment-free optical zone diameters.MethodsA prospective study was performed in 30 eyes of 30 healthy volunteers....

Comparison and Investigation of the National Standards for Tinted Contact Lenses between Various Countries

Purpose: In this study we investigated the safety level of the national standard for tinted soft contact lenses by comparing the standards in various countries. Methods: To evaluate the current guidelines for tinted soft contact lenses such as form and appearance, diameter, curvature radius, vertex power, cylindrical refractivity and cylindrical axis, luminous/ultraviolet ray (UV) transmittance, moisture content, oxygen permeability coefficient, extractables, elution test, cytotoxicity, sensitization, eye irritation test, acute systemic/subchronic/subacute toxicity, genotoxicity and biocompatibility safety test using rabbit eyes and sterility test. We compared the standards of International Organization for Standardization (ISO), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the United States, Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) of Japan and Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) of Korea. Results: The guidelines for tinted soft contact lenses of ISO, FDA and MFDS are similar to soft contact lenses but MHLW of Japan classifies these lenses and sets specific guidelines. First, the oxygen permeability coefficient measured at 6mm from the center should be maintained over 80%. Also, coloring should not affect the oxygen permeability coefficient significantly. Regarding the physical (form and appearance, diameter, curvature radius, moisture content) and optical (vertex power, cylindrical refractivity and cylindrical axis, luminous/UV transmittance, oxygen permeability coefficient) characteristics, no differences were found between ISO and MFDS. However, several differences were found in chemical characteristics (extractables, elution test) and biological stability (cytotoxicity, sensitization, eye irritation test, acute systemic/subchronic/subacute toxicity test, genotoxicity, biocompatibility safety test using rabbit eyes, sterility test). For example, the elution test is required only by MFDS. Conclusions: The reinvestigation into the effectiveness of the elution test is needed and new evaluation measures including scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy designed for tinted soft contact lenses to evaluate the size of the optical area, the location and roughness of the pigmented layer are required. J Korean Ophthalmol Soc 2015;56(11):1692-1698

UV–vis light transmittance through tinted contact lenses and the effect of color on values

To assess the transmittance, in the 200-700nm electromagnetic radiation spectrum, by popularly used tinted soft contact lenses (CLs). The spectra transmittances of ultraviolet (UV)-blocking (I Day Acuvue Define, Freshlook ONE DAY) and non-UV-blocking (Durasoft 3, Tutti, and NeoCosmo) tinted soft CLs were tested. The transmittance of each lens, including nine different colors of Freshlook CL was recorded on spectrophotometer, and the data used to also calculate a UV protection factor (PF) for each lens brand tested, with a higher value indicating a higher level of protection. The UV-blocking CLs significantly reduced UVC, UVB & UVA transmission and thereby meet the American National Standards Institution standard for class 2 UV blockers: a maximum of 30% transmittance of UVA and 5% transmittance of UVB wavelengths. In contrast, the Durasoft 3, Tutti, and NeoCosmo CLs demonstrated negligible UV-blockage. The Acuvue Define CL offered the greatest protection from UVC (PF=69) and UVB (PF=55), but with only 35% luminous transmittance, while the Freshlook CL (especially gemstone green) offered the best protection from UVA (PF=24) and showed about 55% translucency. Overall, the UV-blocking CLs performed equally well across the UV spectrum. Different colors of Freshlook CL transmitted statistically and clinically significantly different amounts of visible light but similar amounts of UVR. Freshlook and Acuvue Define CLs which are designated as UV-blockers significantly reduced UVR transmission to safe levels whereas Tutti, NeoCosmo and Durasoft 3 did not. Transmission within the Freshlook CL family was more dependent on color in the visible light spectrum, but not in the UV-spectrum, where the gemstone green performing best among the tested colors.

A meta-analysis of studies on cosmetically tinted soft contact lenses.

BackgroundConcerns regarding the safety of cosmetically tinted contact lenses have been reported in the literature. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the safety of cosmetically tinted contact lenses in a large number of patients across six clinical trials that varied from 1 week to 3 months in duration.MethodsLenses tested included: Naturelle limbal ring daily disposable, Lacelle limbal ring daily disposable, Lacelle colored cosmetic daily disposable, Lacelle limbal ring planned replacement at 2 weeks, and Alamode traditional/annual colored cosmetic lens. The primary safety outcome was slit-lamp examination, including epithelial edema, epithelial microcysts, corneal staining, bulbar injection, limbal injection, upper lid tarsal conjunctival abnormalities, corneal neovascularization, and corneal infiltrates. High contrast logMAR visual acuity with lenses, and lens wearing time, movement, and centration, are also presented.ResultsA total of 871 subjects (1,742 eyes) and 23 clinical investigators participated in the six studies, with an average completion rate of 96.4% across all studies. The mean age of the patients was 26.8 ± 6.6 years, and 86.7% of participants were female. The total number of slit-lamp examinations across the six studies was 2,456 visits by eye (1,228 visits by patient). There were no slit-lamp signs > grade 2 for any finding, with the exception of corneal staining in one study. In this study, grade 3 corneal staining was noted in one eye (0.1%) at follow-up visit 1 and four (0.6%) of all eligible dispensed eyes at follow-up visit 2, with no eyes requiring medical treatment. No adverse events were reported during any of the trials.ConclusionThe cosmetically tinted lenses evaluated in this meta-analysis appear to be safe when properly prescribed by an eye care professional and used in a compliant manner.

Influence of cosmetically tinted soft contact lenses on higher-order wavefront aberrations and visual performance

To investigate the influence of cosmetically tinted soft contact lenses on ocular higher-order aberrations and visual performance, and to analyze the relationship between these parameters after the lens wear. In 44 eyes of 22 subjects, visual acuity, contrast sensitivity under photopic and mesopic conditions, and ocular higher-order aberrations were evaluated before and after wearing the tinted soft contact lenses (1-day Acuvue Colours; Vistakon, Jacksonville, FL). Contrast sensitivity under a photopic condition was determined at 3, 6, 12, and 18 cycles per degree, and the area under the log contrast sensitivity function (AULCSF) was calculated. Mesopic contrast sensitivity with and without glare was assessed. Ocular higher-order aberrations for a 4-mm pupil were measured, and coma-like, spherical-like, and total higher-order aberrations were determined. The tinted contact lens wearing resulted in significant decreases in log contrast sensitivity at all spatial frequencies (P < 0.05) and AULCSF (P < 0.0001), although 100% contrast visual acuity did not change. Log mesopic contrast sensitivity with and without glare was also reduced significantly by the lens wear (P < 0.0001). The contact lens wear significantly increased coma-like, spherical-like, and total higher-order aberrations (P < 0.0001). The induced changes in higher-order aberrations were analyzed in relation to the changes in contrast sensitivity function. Although the changes in coma-like and spherical-like aberrations did not correlate significantly with those in AULCSF (P > 0.05), the changes in total higher-order aberrations showed a significant correlation with those in AULCSF (P < 0.05). On the other hand, there was no significant relationship between the changes in higher-order aberrations and the changes in log mesopic contrast sensitivity with and without glare (P > 0.05). Cosmetically tinted contact lenses increase ocular higher-order aberrations and worsen contrast sensitivity under both photopic and mesopic conditions. Increases in higher-order aberrations are responsible for decreased contrast sensitivity under the photopic condition. Tinted contact lens wearers should be sufficiently informed about the possible reduction in optical quality of the eye and quality of vision.

Poster 15: PureVision Toric Lenses Piggybacked With Maxsight™ Amber and Grey-Green Sport-Tinted Contact Lenses

The contrast sensitivity function (CSF) of soft contact lens wearers and the CSF of those without corrective lenses were measured. Subjects without corrective lenses achieved higher contrast sensitivity (CS) scores than did those wearing soft contact lenses, whether tinted or clear. Subjects wearing clear soft contact lenses had slightly higher CSF at most spatial frequencies than did those wearing tinted soft contact lenses, but the difference was not significant. The implications of this research on the factors influencing CS function in contact lens wearers are discussed.

Contrast sensitivity assessment of soft contact lens wearers

The contrast sensitivity function (CSF) of soft contact lens wearers and the CSF of those without corrective lenses were measured. Subjects without corrective lenses achieved higher contrast sensitivity (CS) scores than did those wearing soft contact lenses, whether tinted or clear. Subjects wearing clear soft contact lenses had slightly higher CSF at most spatial frequencies than did those wearing tinted soft contact lenses, but the difference was not significant. The implications of this research on the factors influencing CS function in contact lens wearers are discussed.

Surface deposition and cracking of a tinted hydrogel contact lens

For some years, anecdotal reports have been made that certain tinted soft contact lenses accumulate more deposits than non-tinted lenses. Clinical observation and subsequent scanning electron microscopic examination of a blue tinted soft contact lens confirmed more marked surface deposition over the tinted zone of one lens. In addition, crazing of the surface film and cracking of the material surface were observed over the tinted area.

Clear versus opaque soft contact lenses: Initial comfort comparison

At times, some patients have expressed a comfort difference between clear and tinted soft contact lenses. This study was designed to explore whether there is a clinically significant difference in the comfort of the lenses. Clear and opaque soft contact lenses were presented to subjects in single-blind trials. At the time, comfort was rated by the patients and a preferred lens was chosen. The results show a statistically significant difference in comfort between the ranking of the clear and opaque lenses and the preferred lens chosen. Although there is a statistically significant difference between the lenses' comfort, the difference may not be clinically significant.

Color discrimination of deutan and protan observers through tinted soft contact lenses

The effects of tinted soft contact lenses on the color discrimination of nine red-green color deficient subjects was assessed with two different clinical tests. Relative to the no-tint trials, individual differences on the Farnsworth-Munsell 100-HueTM test occurred; however, the results were inconsistent across subjects. These erratic differences were probably attributable to fatigue and motivation. The tinted lenses did not affect performance on the Ishihara Plate Test.TM

Soft tinted contact lenses and color discrimination

A preliminary investigation concerning the effects of tinted soft contact lenses on color discrimination was conducted. The effects of blue, green, aqua, and brown shades were evaluated using the Farnsworth-Munsell 100 Hue Color Test, the Lanthony Desaturated Panel D-15, and the Nagel anomaloscope. Results on the 100 Hue and Desaturated D-15 were unremarkable in all cases. The anomaloscope results showed a consistent shift in the amount of red/green wavelengths needed to match the yellow field, particularly for the brown and green shades.

The use of tinted contact lenses in a case of congenital rod monochromatism

The use of red tinted soft contact lenses in a case of rod monochromatism was found to provide greatly improved visual function. The main advantages were better glare reduction than spectacles, improved perception of objects and patterns, and better cosmetic appearance than spectacles, resulting in greater self confidence.

Colour vision and tinted contact lenses

The effect of tinted soft contact lenses on colour discrimination was studied using Ciba SoftcolorTM dark tinted lenses and the Lanthony New Colour Test for twenty subjects with normal colour vision. Blue, green, aqua and amber tinted lenses were used. We found no significant difference between test performance with the various tinted lenses and the clear lens which was used as a control. This result verifies, for a range of saturations, the conclusion drawn in a related study that tinted soft contact lenses do not affect the colour discrimination performance of persons with normal colour vision. Language: en