Use of therapeutic non-refractive contact lenses to improve visual outcome after repair of traumatic corneal wounds

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of use of contact lenses to improve visual outcome after repair of traumatic corneal wounds. METHODS Two groups of patients (n=30 each) with traumatic full thickness corneal wounds were entered into this study. All cases were caused by sharp objects such as a knife or piece of glass that produced a corneal full thickness wound without any other associated ocular injuries. One group was repaired and received medical treatment (non-contact lens group) and the other group was repaired and a soft contact lens was fitted over the cornea, then medically treated (contact lens group). Each patient was followed up until complete healing, the sutures were removed after about 6 weeks, and the patients were followed up for a further 6 weeks, for a complete follow-up period of 3 months, after which postoperative refraction, manifest refractive spherical equivalent, uncorrected visual acuity, and best-corrected visual acuity were measured and compared between the two groups. RESULTS After repair and follow-up, uncorrected visual acuity ≥0.3 (decimal system) was achieved in 19 cases (63%) in the contact lens group and in only 14 cases (47%) in the non-contact lens group (P=0.018). Best-corrected visual acuity ≥0.6 was achieved in 26 cases (87%) in the contact lens group and in only 17 cases (57%) in the control group (P=0.012). CONCLUSION Soft contact lenses can be used after repair of traumatic corneal wounds to improve visual outcome.