Abstract
Purpose :
Cataract extraction with light adjustable lens implantation allows post-operative power titration with UV light to attain the desired refractive outcome. The treatment requires exposure of the IOL optic through a pupillary dilation of at least 7 mm at several intervals in the postoperative period. We intend to show that pupillary dilation is reached faster by applying a contact lens soaked in dilating drops compared to a single application or multiple application of eye drops. If shown to be effective, the soaked CL method would significantly improve clinic workflow, reduce patient inconvenience as well as the burden of the postoperative UV light adjustments.
Methods :
We recruited 10 patients who had undergone bilateral cataract surgery and received RxSight’s Light Adjustable Lens (LAL). We compared three methods of dilation: a one-time set of drops, a 5-minute interval administration, and a CL soaked in dilating drops. One set consisted of one drop each of 1% Tropicamide, 10% Phenylephrine, and 1% Cyclopentolate. The CL was soaked in a solution of the drops for ten minutes. In each patient we placed the soaked contact lens in one eye and simultaneously began either the interval drop regimen or the one-time administration in the other eye. We measured the time needed to achieve a 7mm dilation through each method.
Results :
The eyes that received the contact lens soaked method achieved 7 mm pupil dilation faster than one time application of eyedrops and similar at intermittent eye drops application. We noted empirically that dilation with soaked CL lagged behind interval and singular set drops in the early stages before catching up or surpassing over time. Patients reported that the soaked CLs was the most convenient method of dilation. Technicians and physicians had fewer interruptions to their clinical schedule with one-time administration of drops and soaked CLs, which improved workflow efficiency.
Conclusions :
Our results show that administration of a soaked CL produced adequate dilation for LAL treatments. It was comparable to administering drops at 5-minute intervals, and outperformed one-time drop administration. This confers a significant benefit to patient comfort in the clinic and minimizes interruptions to the clinic schedule during the dilation period. A study with a larger sample is required to validate these results and to quantify ideal CL soaking time.
This abstract was presented at the 2022 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Denver, CO, May 1-4, 2022, and virtually.