Initial comfort of lotrafilcon A silicone hydrogel contact lenses versus etafilcon A contact lenses for extended wear☆

Abstract 

Purpose

To compare the initial comfort afforded by silicone hydrogel lenses (lotrafilcon A) versus the comfort afforded by conventional hydrogel lenses (etafilcon A) in extended wear (EW).

Design

Prospective, double-masked and randomized controlled trial.

Methods

Lotrafilcon A and etafilcon A contact lenses were eye randomly fitted on an EW basis for 7 days and nights in 20 subjects. A forced-choice subject preference questionnaire was made. Subjects were comfort, dryness, red eye and visual quality after night wear and at the end of the day. Subjective scored satisfaction (scale: 1–5) and lens preference were assessed.

Results

Lotrafilcon A proved more comfortable after night wear (60%, CI95% 38–82%) and at the end of the day (70%, CI95% 49–90%) than etafilcon A after night wear (10%, CI95% 0–23%, P<0.05) and at the end of the day (20%, CI95% 2–38%, P<0.05). The feeling of dryness was more marked with etafilcon A after night wear (50%, CI95% 27–72%) and at the end of the day (50%, CI95% 27–72%) than it was with lotrafilcon A (15%, CI95% 0%–31%) after night wear (P>0.05) and at the end of the day (25%, CI95% 5%–44%, P<0.05). General satisfaction with the lotrafilcon A lens was 3.65 points (CI95% 3–4.2) and with etafilcon A 2.95 points (CI95% 2.5–3.3, P<0.05). Eighty percent (CI95% 62%–98%) of subjects preferred lotrafilcon A (P<0.05) for EW.

Conclusions

In EW, lotrafilcon A contact lenses were more comfortable and led to less dryness after night wear and at the end of the day than etafilcon A contact lenses.

Keywords: Silicone/hydrogel soft lens, Extended wear, Subject satisfaction