Contact Lens- and Patient-related Factors Associated with Contact Lens Discomfort among Contact Lens Wearers in an African Cohort

SIGNIFICANCE No information is available on contact lens discomfort in any African population. Such information may be helpful in developing the scope and priorities for intervention. PURPOSE The purpose of the study was to examine contact lens- and patient-related factors associated with contact lens discomfort among wearers in Ghana. METHODS In this multicenter cross-sectional study, contact lens wearers 18 years and older were recruited. The Contact Lens Dry Eye Questionnaire-8 and a standardized scripted interview were administered to 72 contact lens wearers at five clinical sites, and 40 participants' lens storage cases were collected and cultured. A variety of patient- and contact lens-related factors were examined. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression modeling were used to assess risk factors associated with contact lens discomfort. RESULTS Seventy-two contact lens wearers aged 18 to 45 years completed the study. The mean age was 27.5 +/- 6.4 years, 65.3% of them were females, 86.1% wore soft contact lens, and 13.9% wore rigid gas-permeable lens. Contact lens discomfort was reported by 66.7% of the subjects. Most frequent lens storage cases isolates were Bacillus species (40%) and fungi (31.1%). Significant association was found between disinfecting with tap water (5.98; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.22 to 29.27; P = .03), heavy visual display terminal use (3.39; 95% CI, 1.01 to 11.34; P = .05), high water content (1.16; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.33; P = .03), and contact lens discomfort. Demographic factors, wear modality, and care solutions were not significant (all P > .05). CONCLUSIONS In considering the use of contact lenses for refractive correction in this population, strategies for preventing contact lens discomfort that should be targeted include use of low-water-content lenses, disinfecting with multipurpose solutions, and reducing the time spent daily on visual display terminal use.