Investigation of corneal changes in patients with silicone hydrogel contact lens

Aim: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the corneal topographic changes of patients with contact lens unit with Sirius corneal topography, stromal and epithelial thickness with Heidelberg Spectralis OCT anterior segment modulus, endothelial morphology with Nidek specular microscopy and compare these values with healthy control group. Materials and Methods: 190 eyes of 95 patients who used contact lenses and 190 eyes of 95 individuals who came to our polyclinic for routine examination and did not have ocular pathology were included in our study. Demographic data of patients and control group were recorded. Detailed ophthalmologic examinations were performed. Stromal thickness and epithelial thickness values were recorded by an experienced technician with the Heidelberg Spectralis OCT anterior segment modulus. Central corneal thickness and keratometry values were measured with Sirius® corneal topography device. Corneal endothelium values were recorded using NIDEK CEM 530 noncontact specular microscope. Schirmer test was done. Results: 190 eyes of 95 patients using contact lenses were included (group 1). Twenty-one of the patients using contact lenses were male, 74 were female. 23 of the control group of 95 were male and 72 were female (group 2). The mean age of the patients using contact lenses was 22,80 and the mean age of the control group was 23.80. K1, K2, posterior k2, epithelial thickness, endothelial count and density were significantly different between the groups, but; age, gender, schirmer, mkk, posterior k1, stromal thickness and number of hexogonal cells were similar. Patients using lenses were divided into 2 groups according to their lens use time. Groups using 0-18 months were called group 3, and users over 18 months were group 4.Patients who participated in the study were found to have 50,5% of those who used between 0-18 months, and 49,5% of those who used 19 months and over months. The average age of the users who used it for 0-18 months (21,52 ± 3,31), the average age of those who use it for 19 months.(24,19 ± 4,99) The difference is statistically significant. Both groups were similar in terms of sex. When contact lens users were divided according to their duration of use, it was seen that sim k1, sim k2, central corneal thickness, posterior k1 and posterior K2 values did not change but only endothelial number and spherical refraction values were different. Result: We found that; K1, K2, posterior k2, epithelial thickness, endothelial count and density were significantly different between the group 1 and 2 but; age, gender, schirmer, mkk, posterior k1, stromal thickness and number of hexogonal cells were similar. When contact lens users were divided according to their duration of use, it was seen that sim k1, simk2, central corneal thickness, posterior k1 and posterior K2 values did not change but only endothelial number and spherical refraction values were different. Although hypoxic effects are minimized by the use of silicone hydrogel lenses with high oxygen permeability, contact lenses are mechanically and adverse effects on the corneal structure associated with inflammatory effects. It is helpful to know the effect of these soft lenses on the cornea in order to increase the use of soft contact lenses in recent times and to make patients want keratorefractive surgery, to prevent surgical complications and to meet expectations. Keywords: Contact Lens, Sirius Topography, Specular Microscopy, Anterior segment OCT