Contact lens wear at altitude: subcontact lens bubble formation.

A concern in the past regarding contact lens wear in aviation has been the fear of subcontact lens bubble formation. Previous reports have documented the occurrence of bubbles with hard (PMMA) lenses. Reported here are the results of contact lens bubble studies with soft hydrophilic and rigid gas-permeable lenses. Testing was accomplished in hypobaric chambers and onboard USAF transport aircraft. Hypobaric chamber flights were of three types: high-altitude flights up to 7,620 m (25,000 ft); explosive rapid decompressions from 2,438.4 m (8,000 ft) to 7,620 m (25,000 ft); and 4-h flights at 3,048 m (10,000 ft). Flights aboard transport aircraft typically had cabin pressures equivalent to 1,524-2,438.4 m (5,000-8,000 ft), and ranged in duration from 3 to 10 h. For subjects wearing rigid gas-permeable lenses, central bubbles were detected in 2 of 10 eyes and occurred at altitudes greater than 6,096 m (20,000 ft). With soft contact lenses, bubble formation was detected in approximately 24% (22 of 92 eyes) of the eyes tested, sometimes occurring at altitudes as low as 1,828.8 m (6,000 ft). Soft lens bubbles were always located at the limbus and were without sequela to vision or corneal epithelial integrity. Bubbles under the rigid lenses were primarily central, with potential adverse effects on vision and the corneal epithelium.