Quality of life in high myopia: implantable Collamer lens implantation versus contact lens wear.

PURPOSE

To compare vision-related quality of life in implantable Collamer lens (ICL) recipients and successful contact lens (CL) wearers not seeking refractive surgery.

DESIGN

A comparative cross-sectional study of consecutive cases.

PARTICIPANTS

Forty-one consecutive cases of bilateral ICL implantation in Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, and a control group of 41 CL wearers with a similar starting level of myopia attending consecutively at 1 of 2 community optometric practices in the London area.

INTERVENTION

Quality of Life Impact of Refractive Correction questionnaire administration in a semistructured interview.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Quality of Life Impact of Refractive Correction score.

RESULTS

Quality of Life Impact of Refractive Correction scores were significantly higher (P<0.001) in ICL recipients (53.67+/-4.50) than in CL wearers (44.42+/-5.07). Age (mean+/-standard deviation [SD], 37.7+/-7 vs. 37.5+/-7.3), gender distribution (% female, 90% vs. 74%; P = 0.295), and preoperative (ICL recipients) or uncorrected (CL wearers) refractive error (mean refractive spherical equivalent+/-SD, 11.0+/-2.7 vs. 11.3+/-3.5) were similar in ICL recipients and CL wearers, respectively. Postoperative uncorrected visual acuities in ICL recipients (0.04 [20/20]+/-0.18) and CL-corrected visual acuities in control patients (0.01 [20/20]+/-0.14) measured in the better eye in each group also were similar (P = 0.53).

CONCLUSIONS

Implantable Collamer lens implantation may offer significant quality-of-life advantages over CL wear for patients with high myopia.

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S): The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.