Ocular characteristics associated with rigid gas-permeable lens adherence

ABSTRACT Purpose. Rigid gas-permeable (RGP) lens adherence after overnight lens wear is clearly a patient-dependent phenomenon. However, no previous study has attempted to determine whether specific ocular characteristics are associated with an increased frequency of lens adherence. Method. In this study, clinically applicable tests were used to measure a range of ocular characteristics, including central and peripheral corneal curvature, tear film status, eyelid characteristics, central corneal thickness, and ocular rigidity in a group of 22 young adult subjects for whom reliable estimates for frequency of overnight RGP lens adherence had been obtained from earlier studies. Results. Linear discriminant analysis revealed that a higher frequency of lens adherence was associated with lower ocular rigidity, thinner central corneas, greater eyelid tension, and lower amounts of corneal astigmatism. Conclusions. These findings suggest a clinical approach for identifying patients who may develop clinically significant lens adherence during RGP extended wear, and also provide support for the “thin film adherence” theory of RGP lens adherence.