Application of 3D printing technology in RGPCL simulation fitting.

The rigid gas permeable contact lens (RGPCL) is an ideal choice to improve the corrective vision of patients with a high degree of refractive error, keratoconus and corneal transplantation. However, RGPCL fitting is not an easy work for those patients with extremely irregular corneal surface. Technicians or doctors often need to try many times to determine the relatively satisfied lens customization parameters. This repeated try-on process not only increases discomfort of patients, but also will increase the risks of corneal epithelial shedding or corneal infection. In order to conduct RGP fitting in a faster and safer manner, a new method of simulating RGPCL fitting in 3D printing technology was assumed. The preliminary experimental results indicated that this method could effectively reduce the number of try-on and increase patient satisfaction, while decrease the risk of epithelial shedding or infection.