Products expand contact lens options for keratoconus

Chicago-New contact lenses are available for patients with keratoconus and should be considered to reduce the number of patients who progress along the treatment algorithm to require surgical intervention, said Brandon Ayres, MD.

“Just because keratoconus patients report having a hard time with gas permeable contact lenses, that does not mean they have failed contact lens wear as an option for visual rehabilitation,” said Dr. Ayres, cornea service, Wills Eye Institute, Philadelphia.

Among the new options is a new hybrid contact lens (ClearKone, SynergEyes). It features a reverse geometry design that vaults over the area of ectasia without bearing on it in order to maintain a healthy layer of tears between the cornea and the rigid gas permeable center of the lens and to minimize chafing, discomfort, and the potential for contact lens-induced scarring.

In addition, there are two new flexible soft contact lenses, NovaKone (Alden Optical) and KeraSoft IC (Bausch + Lomb). The NovaKone has thick central optic to allow for masking and correction of irregular astigmatism, and it is also available as a toric design. The KeraSoft IC has a spherical posterior surface and bitoric front surface.

Dr. Ayres presented his center has fit the NovaKone lens in 42 patients with keratoconus or related disorders who had no response to other contact lens systems. Results from this group showed the new soft lens was easy to fit, highly comfortable, and provided good vision. Overall 86% of patients were continuing wear, he said.

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