The influence of in-eye cleaning/re-wetting drops on the performance of 30 day continuous wear silicone hydrogel contact lenses

30 patients were enrolled in a double blind study designed to determine the efficacy and subjective preferences in reducing deposit accumulation, both lipid and protein, between an in-eye cleaning/re-wetting drop and a control re-wetting drop while wearing silicone hydrogel contact lenses on a 30 day continuous wear schedule. The patients had previously worn these contact lenses on a continuous wear schedule for a minimum of two weeks prior to enrollment in this study, and were asked to determine their preferences based on comfort, vision, and contact lens cleanliness. 27 patients completed the study of two thirty day continuous wear periods. With regard to comfort, 55.56% preferred the control drops, 29.63% preferred the in-eye cleaning/re-wetting drops, and 14.81% had no preference. With regard to vision 33.33% preferred the control drops, 25.93% preferred the in-eye cleaning/re-wetting drops, and 40.74% had no preference. With regard to lens cleanliness 48.15% preferred the control drops, 25.93% preferred the in-eye cleaning/re-wetting drops, and the remaining 25.93% had no preference. Biomicroscopy results of contact lens wetting, deposits, and numbers of mucin balls were equivalent for the two drops. In-eye cleaning/re-wetting drops appear to be compatible with silicone hydrogel contact lenses worn on a continuous wear basis and are similar in performance to re-wetting drops