Visual performance in myopic correction with spectacles and soft contact lenses

Purpose: To evaluate the visual performance by high contrast visual acuity, contrast sensitivity and wavefront in myopic patients with or without astigmatism corrected with spectacles and with three different soft contact lenses [Acuvue (R) 2 (Vistacon J&J Vision Care Inc., USA), Biomedics (R) 55 (Ocular Science, USA), and Focus (R) 1-2 week (Ciba Vision Corporation, USA)]. Methods: An interventional prospective clinical trial studied a sample of 40 myopic patients (-1.00 to -4.50 sph, with or without astigmatism up to -0.75 cyl). Each patient had one eye randomized to visual performance evaluation. Results: The Zywave aberrometer detected a over refraction and significant difference between Acuvue (R) 2 and Biomedics (R) 55 regarding spheric refractive components and spheric equivalent. Both soft contact lenses showed hypercorrection as compared to Focus (R) 1-2 week. Visual performance was not significantly different with spectacles and the three soft contact lenses in visual acuity and contrast sensitivity measurements. The wavefront analysis detected a significant difference in a third order aberration with and without soft contact lenses, with better visual performance with Acuvue (R) 2 and Biomedics (R) 55. Conclusion: In visual performance evaluation with spectacles and soft contact lenses the wavefront analysis was a more sensible measurement of visual function when compared to high contrast visual acuity and contrast sensitivity. The evaluation model of visual performance with wavefront analysis developed in this investigation may be useful for further similar studies.