Investigation into surface interaction between the contact lens, the upper eyelid and cornea using optical coherence tomography

Background and Aim: Over 50% of the total 125 million contact lens users complain of discomforts due to contact lenses. The aim of the project is to understand the effect of contact lenses on the morphological parameters of cornea and eyelid surfaces.

Methods and results: Five volunteers were recruited for this study (3 soft contact lens users and 2 non-users). The volunteers were imaged using a slit lamp and Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) before and after a period of 6-7 hours. There was a significant increase in epidermal thickness of the eyelid for contact lens users compared to non-users. In addition, the upper eyelid roughness for contact lens users and non-users increased significantly. This might be due to deposition of particles from the eyelid during the wiping process.

Conclusions: Contact lens usage does affect the morphological parameters of eyelid. OCT is a powerful tool to measure these morphological changes in the eye. However, more volunteers must be recruited to get a better understanding of these changes.