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.