Kerasoft IC compared to Rose-K in the management of corneal ectasias.

PURPOSE: To determine the efficacy of the KeraSoft(®) IC (KIC) (Ultravision International Limited, Bedfordshire, UK), a silicone hydrogel contact lens, for the optical management of non-surgical corneal ectasias and to compare it with the Rose-K 2 RGP contact lens.

METHODS

In a retrospective study ninety-four eyes fitted with KIC (group A) were compared with seventy-seven eyes fitted with Rose-K(®) RGP lenses as a control group. Ocular diagnoses, corneal curvature by topography, refraction, best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA), and age at time of fitting were noted. Outcome data included average daily wearing time, contact lens complications, visual acuity with the lens (BCLCVA), power of the lenses and length of follow-up.

RESULTS

Differences in either BCLCVA or wearing time could not be statistically established (p = 0.63, p = 0.15) between both groups. More biomicroscopic complications were found in the RGP group, basically corneal staining (P < 0.0001). In the KIC group, BCLCVA was statistically similar between types of ectasia (p = 0.19) as well as in mild and moderate keratoconus (p = 0.45).

CONCLUSIONS

KIC is a good alternative for the optical management of irregular corneal astigmatism in non surgical corneal ectasias such as keratoconus and pellucid marginal degeneration.