Scleral Contact Lens Benefits for Myopic Patients With Regular Corneas: A Prospective Randomized Study

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of scleral contact lens (SL) wear on the visual quality and the ocular surface wettability in myopic patients with regular corneas. Methods: This prospective, randomized, controlled study enrolled a total of 80 myopes with regular corneas. Subjects were randomly allocated to wear SL or rigid corneal lens (RCL) for 3 months. The objective optical quality parameters were detected using the Optical Quality Analysis System-II, and the ocular surface wettability was assessed using the Keratograph 5M noninvasive ocular surface analyzer. The National Eye Institute 25-Item Visual Function Questionnaire and Ocular Surface Disease Index questionnaire were performed. Results: Both SL and RCL wear could obtain good best-corrected visual acuity. Strehl ratio, modulation transfer function cutoff frequency, objective scattering index, and Optical Quality Analysis System values (Optical Quality Analysis System values at 100%, 20%, and 9% contrasts) in the SL group significantly improved from baseline to the third month (both P <0.05), but not in the RCL group. At the third month, tear meniscus height and noninvasive tear break-up time showed a significant increase in the SL wearers from baseline (both P <0.05), but exhibited no significant changes in the RCL group. At the third month, SL wearers had significantly higher noninvasive tear break-up time compared with RCL wearers ( P <0.05). Besides, after 3-month SL wear, the National Eye Institute 25-Item Visual Function Questionnaire score and the Ocular Surface Disease Index score both remarkably improved from baseline (both P <0.05). Conclusion: Short-term SL wear could provide satisfactory visual quality, ocular comfort, and stable tear film for myopic patients.