Clinical experience with the therapeutic hydrophilic contact lens.

Hydrophilic contact lenses were prescribed for 62 patients with a variety of corneal diseases. The lens was must successful for relief of pain in bullous keratropathy and in the healing of recurrent erosions. Its value in improving vision in bullous keratopathy depends on the stage of corneal edema and is not impressive in long-standing edema with scarring. The lens may be of value in patients with sterile indolent ulcers and in alkali-burned corneas with large epithelial defects after conventional therapy has failed. Caution is advised in fitting patients with the dry eye syndromes. Patients with minimal corneal scars due to keratoconus may benefit from a soft lens. Complications related to the use of hydrophilic lenses in this group of 62 patients are also discussed.