Author: Dr Ewa Neumann
Posted: 15 June 2010 14:06
The most common therapeutic use of contact lenses is the application of daily contact lenses as bandages for abrasions. However, there are numerous other situations in which contact lenses are used therapeutically. For instance:
- alleviation of pain, protection of the surface of the eye and facilitation of healing wounds (contact lenses reduce pain and separate the eye from the lid, which may cause problems during the re-growth of ocular epithelium);
- treatment of chemical burns and neurotrophic ulcers (significantly improved healing);
- management of persistent epithelial defect (here soft contact lenses work best in combination with serum eye drops);
- treatment of bullous keratopathy and ocular graft versus host disease (the former leads to the appearance of blister-like lesions on the eye and the latter results in a severe form of dry eye state and secondary keratitis; contact lenses protect the damaged surface from exposure and alleviate the symptoms of the diseases).
In any case, patients wearing therapeutic contact lenses require close supervision and frequent examination, as there are numerous possible complications associate with contact lens use. Nonetheless, these lenses offer them unique benefits and considerably enhance the healing process.
