Contact Lens Headlines
Date: January 27, 2010 // Author: Gary Heiting, ODUV-blocking silicone hydrogel contact lenses can reduce or eliminate harmful effects from the sun’s UV rays, according to a study published this month in Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, an official journal of The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO).
Overexposure to UV light can cause harmful changes in the cornea, conjunctiva and lens, including cataracts, according to the investigators and authors of the article, “Prevention of UV-Induced Damage to the Anterior Segment Using Class I UV-Absorbing Hydrogel Contact Lenses.”
In the study, 12 rabbits were assigned to one of three treatment groups:
- Those wearing a UV-blocking silicone hydrogel contact lens.
- Those wearing a silicone hydrogel lens that doesn’t block UV.
- Those wearing no contact lenses.
For five days, the animals were exposed to UV radiation capable of producing corneal changes. Only the rabbits who wore the UV-absorbing contacts were not affected by the exposure.
The UV-absorbing contact lenses used in the study were made of a silicone hydrogel material called senofilcon A. The material is used to produce Acuvue Oasys disposable contacts.
Heather Chandler, PhD, from Ohio State University’s College of Optometry, was lead investigator in the study. “The data generated from this study could support the use of UV-absorbing contact lenses and greatly impact the health of a large number of people,” Dr. Chandler said in an ARVO press release this week.
The study was supported by Vistakon, a division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc.
Tags: disposable contacts, UV
