Feedback: BCLA CLEAR interactive 3

Contact lenses can have an impact on the eye and ocular surface, although with modern lens designs in compliant wearers any lens-related changes are likely to be minimal and clinically insignificant.

In the third in a series of articles summarising the key findings of the BCLA CLEAR publications, a major review of the published evidence relating to all aspects of contact lens practice, Claire McDonnell highlighted the influence of the eyelids, adnexal glands and blinking on contact lens wear. Such factors are receiving greater attention from researchers, lens manufacturers and clinicians when considering contact lens design and materials.^{1, 2}

Some of the ocular assessments outlined in the article may not always be performed routinely by clinicians, and more research is needed to understand correlations of the links to contact lens properties, ocular surface changes and on-eye contact lens performance. That said, techniques such as lid eversion are nowadays thought by most practitioners to be integral to a contact lens patient assessment. Indeed, this was the thinking behind one of the questions for discussion in this exercise.