Corneal aberration changes after rigid gas permeable contact lens wear in keratokonic patients

PURPOSE: To determine the short-term effect of rigid gas permeable (RGP) contact lenses on corneal aberrations in keratoconic patients. METHOD: Sixteen keratoconic eyes with no history of RGP lens wear were included. They all had corneal aberrometry using Pentacam, and different aberration indices of the anterior and posterior surfaces of the cornea were measured before and 3 months after fitting RGP lenses. The effect of baseline parameters on these changes was tested in univariate and multiple models. RESULTS: Total aberrations and individual Zernike coefficients did not show statistically significant changes after using RGP lenses. Although not statistically significant, vertical coma decreased in the anterior (p = 0.073) and posterior surface (p = 0.095). Relationships that remained statistically significant in the multiple model were between baseline central corneal thickness and changes in total higher order aberrations and anterior 4th order astigmatism 0°, and between baseline 2nd order astigmatism 45° and its changes. CONCLUSION: In this study, corneal aberrations remained unchanged 3 months after wearing RGP contact lens. Further studies with sufficient samples in different groups of keratoconus severity or baseline aberrations are needed to obtain more accurate results.