AIM: To evaluate the outcome of high oxygen permeable contact lens used after photorefractive keratectomy(PRK)surgery.

METHODS: Totally 95 patients(190 eyes)after PRK were included. Patients were randomly assigned to wear high oxygen permeable contact lens in one eye and normal lens in the fellow eye after surgery. The subjective symptoms and corneal epithelial status after PRK were evaluated. Uncorrected visual acuity(UCVA)and haze were assessed at 6 months after PRK.

RESULTS: Complaints of blurred vision, pain and photophobia were statistically more among the normal lens group than high oxygen permeable contact lens group(P<0.05). The time of corneal epithelium recovery was 3.11±2.12 days in the high oxygen permeable contact lens group and 4.02±2.21 days in the normal lens group respectively. There was statistically significant difference between two groups(P<0.05). The wholly healing of corneal epithelium happened in 46% and 36% eyes at 72 hours after surgery respectively. Seven days after surgery, 60 eyes(63%)and 48 eyes(51%)achieved UCVA better than 1.0 respectively(P=0.35). There was no difference in UCVA and haze 6 months after surgery(P=0.55).

CONCLUSION: High oxygen permeable contact lens can significantly produce less the corneal irritated symptoms, reduce the discomfort feeling and promote healing of corneal epithelium after PRK.