Types of contact lenses applied in astigmatic cases

Purpose: To compare corneal and refractive astigmatism, best corrected visual acuities with glasses and contact lenses and type of contact lenses applied in patients with simple or compound myopic astigmatism or mixed astigmatism. Materials and Methods: 146 eyes of 90 patients were evaluated retrospectively in 62 (42.5%) eyes spherical soft, in 32 (21.9%) eyes toric soft and in 52 (35.6%) eyes rigid gas permeable (RGP) contact lenses were fitted. According to keratometric (K) measurements myopic corneal astigmatisms (A) were ≤1.00 D in 52 (35.6%) eyes, between 1.00 D and 2.00 D in 52 (35.6%) eyes and >2.00 in 42 (28.81%) eyes. Each group was assessed according to the type of contact lenses applied. In the ≤1.00 D groups, spherical soft lenses were applied in 47 (90.4%) eyes whereas toric soft lenses were used in 3 (5.8%) eyes and RGP lenses in 2 (3.8%). In the 1.00 D to 2.00 D group, toric soft lenses were fitted in 24 (46.2%) eyes, RGP lenses in 17 (32.7%) and spherical soft lenses in 11 (21.1%) eyes. In the 2.00 D group RGP lenses were fitted in 33 (78.6%) eyes whereas toric soft lenses were fitted in 5 (11.9%) eyes and spherical soft lenses in 4 (9.5%). Results: In 104 (71.3%) eyes, the best corrected visual acuities with contact lenses and glasses were equal. 38 (26%) eyes had better visual acuities with contact lenses, whereas 4 (2.7%) had lower acuities with contact (cosmetic) lenses. Conclusion: For corneal astigmatism 1.00 D, spherical soft lenses can be used, between 1.00 D and 2.00 D toric soft are better, whereas for > 2.00 D RGP contact lenses were primarily preferred.