EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF THE PROTEK (VIFILCON-A) THERAPEUTIC SOFT CONTACT-LENS AFTER PHOTOREFRACTIVE KERATECTOMY

PURPOSE: To test the ProTek (Vifilcon A) therapeutic soft contact lens in the alleviation of post-photorefractive keratectomy pain, its effe ct on epithelial healing, and its safety, METHODS: Forty-seven consecu tive eligible patients undergoing unilateral excimer laser photo refra ctive keratectomy for myopia were randomly assigned to receive standar d postoperative care with or without the use of a ProTek soft contact lens, Patients prospectively graded a self-administered 5-point. scale for pain and a 4-point scale for abnormal sensations at 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20 hours after surgery, They also recorded the type and dose of a ll medications taken during that time period. All patients were examin ed on the first and third days after surgery. The lenses were worn con tinuously for 3 days, RESULTS: The soft contact lens group (n = 24) di sclosed a statistically significant (P <.05) reduction in pain intensi ty and abnormal sensations that was greatest at 8, 12, 16, and 20 hour s postoperatively, Compared with control patients (n = 23), the soft c ontact: lens group showed significant cant decreased dependence on mos t pain medications after the 12th hour (P <.05) and faster epithelial healing (P =.03), However, one case of bacterial keratitis, two cases of subepithelial infiltrates, and seven cases of contact lens intolera nce were present in the soft contact lens group, CONCLUSIONS: The ProT ek therapeutic soft contact lenses were effective in decreasing pain a nd other related abnormal sensations after excimer photorefractive ker atectomy, They decreased dependence on pain medications and hastened e pithelial healing but were not well tolerated in some patients.