Ocular surface integrity, dry eye signs and symptoms in wearers of coloured soft contact lenses from different sources

Background: This study explored the effects of wearing coloured soft contact lenses (CL), sourced from both optometry and non-optometry providers, on ocular surface integrity and dry eye signs and symptoms. Methods: Five participants were randomly assigned to wear a pair of contact lenses from one of the two sources for one month, followed by a one-month washout period, after which they switched to lenses from the other source. Ocular surface integrity was assessed through measurements of tear meniscus height (TMH), non-invasive keratograph tear film breakup time (NIKBUT), and tear breakup time (TBUT) at three intervals: during the initial visit, one week post-wear, and one month post-wear. Additionally, participants completed the Contact Lens Dry Eye Questionnaire-8 (CLDEQ-8) at the one-week and one-month follow-up visits to evaluate dry eye status. Repeated measures ANOVA was used to analyse changes in ocular surface integrity over the one-month period, while paired sample t-tests were conducted to assess changes in CLDEQ-8 scores between the one-week and one-month follow-ups. Results: The repeated measures ANOVA showed no significant differences in TMH, NIKBUT, or TBUT between the two types of contact lenses over the one-month period (p > 0.05). Similarly, paired samples t-tests revealed no significant changes in CLDEQ-8 scores between the base line, one-week and one-month follow-up visits (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The study concluded that there were no significant differences in ocular surface integrity or dry eye symptoms between coloured soft contact lenses obtained from optometry and non-optometry sources after one month of wear.