안구세안액의 사용 실태 및 이의 반복사용에 따른 투명소프트렌즈의 파라미터 변화

Purpose: This study investigated the perception and use of eyewash solution, and the changes in lens parameters when soft contact lenses (hereafter in soft lenses) were exposed to eyewash solution. Methods: The state of perception and use of eyewash solution was investigated using a questionnaire survey for those between teens and twenties. Four kinds of hydrogel lenses (2 etafilcon A lenses, 2 nelfilcon A lenses), and 5 silicone hydrogel lenses (2 senofilcon A lenses, 1 senofilcon C lens, 2 lotrafilcon B lenses) were selected for the study. Nine types of soft lenses were exposed to an eyewash solution for 1, 2, 4, and 8 hours based on time (30 seconds) spent for single use. In order to investigate the changes in lens parameters before and after exposure to an eyewash solution, total diameter, base curve, refractive power, visible light transmission, center thickness and water content were measured and compared. Results: Of the 186 respondents, 60 had experience using eyewash solution and 23 of them had experience wearing contact lenses after eyewash solution use. It was revealed that lenses were sometimes worn immediately after using the eyewash solution and eyewash solution was sometimes used during lens wear. The hydrogel lenses, etafilcon A and nelfilcon A, showed a statistically significant decrease in total diameter, base curve, center thickness and water content after exposure to eyewash solution however, the decrease of water content in etafilcon A lens, an ionic lens, was greater than it in nelfilcon A lens, a non-ionic lens. Lastly, the silicone hydrogel lenses senofilcon A, senofilcon C, and lotrafilcon B showed a significant decrease in water content after exposure to eyewash solution. There was also a decrease in total diameter depending on the characteristic of silicone hydrogel lenses. Conclusion: From these results, it was found that the stability of lens parameters was not maintained when the soft lenses were exposed to an eyewash solution for a certain period of time. In particular, hydrogel lenses were found to have greater changes than silicone hydrogel lenses. Therefore, it is believed that lens parameters will be affected if contact lenses wearer doesn’t follow the instruction for eyewash solution use or if an eyewash solution is used immediately before or in the middle of lens wear. Thus, repeated non-compliant use of eyewash solution may be a cause of changes in contact lens fit and tear metabolism.