Predicting time to refractive stability after discontinuation of rigid contact lens wear before refractive surgery

Abstract

The time for contact lens-induced corneal changes to reach a steady state after cessation of lens wear is highly variable. Among the variables examined, including those indicating corneal warpage, the factor that correlated with the required time to refractive stability after discontinuation of RGP wear was the length of time of contact lens use. Patients who are long-term RGP wearers should be counseled that multiple visits will likely be required before a stable refraction is obtained.