Earlier this year, I attended a Coopervision roadshow featuring an excellent lecture from Professor Lyndon Jones (see Optician 03.05.19) that espoused the virtues of silicone hydrogel for daily disposable lenses. This was soon followed by an article offering a similar argument (Optician 05.07.19). This week, we publish an article (see page 24) outlining the evidence base in support of hydrogel material, including the latest references that support the view that there are good reasons for its continuing to be the most popular material for daily disposable lenses.
So, what should we do in practice? As always with such debates, there are arguments for each material and first choice should always be patient specific. I have a non-existent tear film and find it difficult to tolerate SiHy lenses for more than a few hours without comfort drops.
So, for general wear I use a hydrogel lens. When likely to ‘accidently’ exceed recommended wear times (a festival perhaps?), I use a SiHy alternative to assuage my paranoia. I am due to fit a very high myope next week and will consider SiHy to counter the extra limbal lens thickness, while another patient with a poor tear film I am fitting as part of my ongoing IDRA trial (Optician 30.08.19) will be first trialled with hydrogel. As always, the answer is to keep up-to-date with developments and, in this case, consider the relative benefits of each material for individual patients.
On a different note, I was surprised to see a case of toxic maculopathy due to poor nutrition reported recently in Bristol, a city boasting many gastronomic delights. Alcohol, tobacco and drugs often are the cause of many a low vision case, but a diet of chips and crisps rarely. A useful reminder for all us vegans out there – remember vitamin B12!
