Comparison of silicone and non-silicone hydrogel soft contact lenses used as a bandage after LASEK

PURPOSE: To evaluate two different soft contact lens materials for continuous-wear bandage contact lenses after laser epithelial keratomileusis (LASEK). METHODS: A prospective, observer-masked study was conducted of 32 eyes of 16 consecutive patients. Inclusion criteria were candidates for bilateral LASEK, myopia of ≤-6.00 diopters (D), astigmatism <-1.50 D, and bilateral best spectacle-corrected visual acuity of 20/20 or better. Patients were randomly selected for a balafilcon A (PureVision; Bausch & Lomb) bandage contact lens in one eye and a poly-2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate-co-methacrylate glycerol (EquiS 60; mark'ennovy) in the fellow eye. Corneal epithelial status, conjunctival and limbal hyperemia, lens movement, contact lens debris, and the responses to a subjective comfort questionnaire were assessed postoperatively. The parameters were evaluated preoperatively and 1 and 5 days postoperatively. Paired Student t test and chi-square tests were used when appropriate. RESULTS: Thirty-two eyes of 16 consecutive patients who underwent LASEK to correct low to moderate myopia were analyzed. The mean spherical equivalent refraction was -3.25 D. There was no difference in conjunctival or limbal hyperemia, contact lens debris, or subjective comfort between lenses at any postoperative visit. In contrast, the corneal epithelial status was statistically better in the eyes with a silicone bandage contact lens 5 days after LASEK (P = .01). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the bandage contact lens material used after LASEK affects the corneal epithelial healing process.