Changes in Visual Acuity and Dry Eye Parameters Following One Month of Scleral Lens Wear in Patients with Keratoconus: A Prospective Observational Study from Saudi Arabia.
- 1Department of Optometry, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah 52571, Saudi Arabia.
Abstract
Background/objectives
To evaluate the immediate visual correction provided by scleral lens insertion and short-term changes in ocular surface parameters associated with one month of scleral lens wear in patients with keratoconus in Saudi Arabia.Methods
This prospective observational study included 18 participants with keratoconus (18 study eyes). Scleral lenses were fitted bilaterally, while one eye per participant was selected for ocular analysis; when both eyes were eligible, the eye with the higher Kmax was selected. Participants were instructed to wear ONEFIT MED® scleral lenses for at least 8 h per day for one month. Outcomes included logMAR visual acuity, Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), Schirmer I test, and invasive tear break-up time (ITBUT). Paired-samples t-tests were used for paired comparisons.Results
All 18 participants completed follow-up. Mean logMAR visual acuity improved immediately after lens insertion from 0.723 ± 0.550 to 0.089 ± 0.126 at baseline and from 0.760 ± 0.544 to 0.099 ± 0.126 at one month (both p < 0.001). Mean OSDI decreased from 45.45 ± 20.31 to 24.84 ± 11.24 (p < 0.001). Schirmer I increased from 14.50 ± 7.23 to 16.89 ± 7.15 mm (p = 0.001), and ITBUT increased from 4.94 ± 2.04 to 5.97 ± 1.74 s (p = 0.010). No adverse events or complications were reported.Conclusions
Scleral lenses provided substantial immediate visual correction, while one month of regular wear was associated with reduced dry eye symptoms and modest changes in tear secretion and tear-film stability. Because this was an uncontrolled observational study, the ocular-surface findings should be interpreted as associations rather than causal effects.
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BibTeX
@article{alshammeri2026changes,
title = {{Changes in Visual Acuity and Dry Eye Parameters Following One Month of Scleral Lens Wear in Patients with Keratoconus: A Prospective Observational Study from Saudi Arabia.}},
author = {Saleh R Alshammeri},
journal = {Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/healthcare14193296},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42881735},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Changes in Visual Acuity and Dry Eye Parameters Following One Month of Scleral Lens Wear in Patients with Keratoconus: A Prospective Observational Study from Saudi Arabia.
AU - Saleh R Alshammeri
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/03
JO - Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
DO - 10.3390/healthcare14193296
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42881735
AB - Background/objectives To evaluate the immediate visual correction provided by scleral lens insertion and short-term changes in ocular surface parameters associated with one month of scleral lens wear in patients with keratoconus in Saudi Arabia.Methods This prospective observational study included 18 participants with keratoconus (18 study eyes). Scleral lenses were fitted bilaterally, while one eye per participant was selected for ocular analysis; when both eyes were eligible, the eye with the higher Kmax was selected. Participants were instructed to wear ONEFIT MED® scleral lenses for at least 8 h per day for one month. Outcomes included logMAR visual acuity, Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), Schirmer I test, and invasive tear break-up time (ITBUT). Paired-samples t-tests were used for paired comparisons.Results All 18 participants completed follow-up. Mean logMAR visual acuity improved immediately after lens insertion from 0.723 ± 0.550 to 0.089 ± 0.126 at baseline and from 0.760 ± 0.544 to 0.099 ± 0.126 at one month (both p < 0.001). Mean OSDI decreased from 45.45 ± 20.31 to 24.84 ± 11.24 (p < 0.001). Schirmer I increased from 14.50 ± 7.23 to 16.89 ± 7.15 mm (p = 0.001), and ITBUT increased from 4.94 ± 2.04 to 5.97 ± 1.74 s (p = 0.010). No adverse events or complications were reported.Conclusions Scleral lenses provided substantial immediate visual correction, while one month of regular wear was associated with reduced dry eye symptoms and modest changes in tear secretion and tear-film stability. Because this was an uncontrolled observational study, the ocular-surface findings should be interpreted as associations rather than causal effects.
SN - 2227-9032
ER -