Glucocorticoid response to naturalistic interactions between children and dogs.

Although research has shown that pets appear to provide certain types of social support to children, little is known about the physiological bases of these effects, especially in naturalistic contexts. In this study, we investigated the effect of free-form interactions between children (ages 8-10 years) and dogs on salivary cortisol concentrations in both species. We further investigated the role of the child-dog relationship by comparing interactions with the child's pet dog to interactions with an unfamiliar dog or a nonsocial control condition, and modeled associations between survey measures of the human-animal bond and children's physiological responses. In both children and dogs, salivary cortisol decreased from pre- to post-interaction; the effect was strongest for children interacting with an unfamiliar dog (compared to their pet dog) and for the pet dogs (compared to the unfamiliar dog). We found minimal evidence for associations between cortisol output and behaviors coded from video, but children scoring higher on survey measures of the human-animal bond exhibited the greatest reductions in cortisol when interacting with dogs. Self-reported loneliness was not related to cortisol or the human-animal bond, but measures of both loneliness and the human-animal bond were higher among children who participated after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, relative to those who participated before the pandemic. This study builds on previous work that investigated potential stress-buffering effects of human-animal interaction during explicit stressors and demonstrates important physiological correlates of naturalistic interactions between children and dogs, similar to those that occur in daily life.

The impact of Demodex blepharitis on patient symptoms and daily life.

SIGNIFICANCE: Patients with Demodex blepharitis have a considerable symptomatic burden that negatively impacts their daily activities and well-being. Despite chronic manifestations of and problems associated with blepharitis that resulted in multiple visits to eye care providers, Demodex blepharitis remained underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed. PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Demodex blepharitis on patients' daily activities and well-being. METHODS: This prospective, multicenter, observational study recruited 524 patients with Demodex blepharitis from 20 U.S. ophthalmology and optometry practices. Demodex blepharitis was diagnosed based on the presence of the following clinical manifestations in at least one eye: >10 collarettes on the upper lashes, at least mild lid margin erythema of the upper eyelid, and mite density of ≥1.0 mite/lash (upper and lower combined). Patients were asked to complete a questionnaire related to their symptoms, daily activities, and management approaches. RESULTS: The proportion of patients who experienced blepharitis symptoms for ≥2 years was 67.8%, and for ≥4 years, it was 46.5%. The three most bothersome symptoms ranked were "itchy eyes," "dry eyes," and "foreign body sensation." Overall, 77.4% of patients reported that Demodex blepharitis negatively affected their daily life. One-third (32.3%) of patients had visited a doctor for blepharitis at least two times, including 19.6% who visited at least four times. Despite having clinical manifestations of Demodex blepharitis confirmed by an eye care provider, 58.7% had never been diagnosed with blepharitis. Commonly used management approaches were artificial tears, warm compresses, and lid wipes. Among those who discontinued their regimen, 45.9% had discontinued because of either tolerability issues or lack of effectiveness. Among contact lens wearers, 64.3% of the patients either were uncomfortable wearing contact lenses or experienced vision changes "sometimes" or "frequently." CONCLUSION: Demodex blepharitis results in a significant negative impact on daily activities, creating a psychosocial and symptomatic burden on patients.

Doubt in store: vaccine hesitancy among grocery workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The objective of this study was to assess the influence of workplace safety conditions alongside the World Health Organization's model of the "3 Cs", on grocery store workers' vaccine hesitancy concerning COVID-19. Data for this study come from the Arizona Frontline Workers Survey, a longitudin web-based survey of 770 grocery store workers in the state of Arizona (US) collected in July 2020 and January 2021. We utilized ordinary least squares and multinomial logistic regression analyses to assess predictors of hesitancy at our Wave 2. Thirty-nine percent of our sample reported being unlikely to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Two aspects of the "3 Cs" model, confidence and convenience, were correlated with lower levels of vaccine hesitancy while the perceptions of being protected by one's employer increased hesitancy. Our findings underscore the importance of workplace conditions for vaccine hesitancy and the need to include vaccine messaging in employers' safety practices.

Demodex Blepharitis: A Comprehensive Review of the Disease, Current Management, and Emerging Therapies.

ABSTRACT: Demodex blepharitis is a common disease of the eyelid, affecting approximately 25 million Americans. This article reviews what is known about the mechanisms and impact of Demodex blepharitis, risk factors, signs and symptoms, diagnostic techniques, current management options, and emerging treatments. Demodex mites contribute to blepharitis in several ways: direct mechanical damage, as a vector for bacteria, and by inducing hypersensitivity and inflammation. Risk factors for Demodex blepharitis include increasing age, rosacea, and diabetes. The costs, symptom burden, and psychosocial effects of Demodex blepharitis are considerable. The presence of collarettes is pathognomonic for Demodex blepharitis. Redness, dryness, discomfort, foreign body sensation, lash anomalies, and itching are also hallmarks of the disease. Although a number of oral, topical, eyelid hygiene and device-based options have been used clinically and evaluated in studies for the management of Demodex blepharitis, none have been FDA approved to treat the disease. Recent randomized controlled clinical trials suggest that lotilaner ophthalmic solution, 0.25%, is a topical treatment with the potential to eradicate Demodex mites and eliminate collarettes and eyelid redness for an extended period.

Respect Your Elders: Generativity and Life Satisfaction in Caregiving Grandparents.

Erikson's theory of psychosocial development defines generativity as the drive to benefit future generations and leave a legacy. Generativity has been shown to predict life satisfaction, but generative concern and action can be impacted by factors such as perceived respect from younger generations. This study utilized caregiving grandparents aged 40 and older to assess the extent to which perceived respect mediated the relation between generativity and life satisfaction. Perceived respect from a grandchild mediated the relation between generative concern expressed by caregiving grandparents and life satisfaction after controlling for demographic variables that have been shown to influence heterogeneity and overall well-being in caregiving grandparent samples. These findings suggest that the relation between life satisfaction and generativity in grandparents may depend, in part, on perceived respect from grandchildren, intimating that the implications of generativity may be influenced by the perceived appreciation of its recipients.

A new look at teacher interactional quality: Profiles of individual teacher-child relationship and classroom teaching quality among Head Start students.

Preschool teachers' relationships with children are a critical component of classroom quality. We draw from a sample of N=2,114 children attending Head Start to examine child-centered profiles of experiences across two dimensions of classroom interaction quality that are often considered separately, individual teacher-child closeness and conflict and classroom-level instructional and emotional support. Findings reveal considerable heterogeneity in Head Start children's experiences, as the profiles differed on individual conflict, and classroom emotional and instructional support. The largest profile was characterized by a positive emotional climate and low instructional support. Higher teacher distress was associated with the highest quality and the highest conflict profiles. The results also revealed early evidence for gender and race and ethnicity-based disadvantages in Head Start classroom experiences.

Improved outcomes of high-risk relapsed Hodgkin lymphoma patients after high-dose chemotherapy: a 15-year analysis.

High-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem-cell transplant (HDC/ASCT) is standard treatment for chemosensitive relapsed classical Hodgkin lymphoma, although outcomes of high-risk relapse (HRR) patients remain suboptimal. We retrospectively analyzed all HRR classical Hodgkin lymphoma patients treated with HDC/ASCT at our institution between 01/01/2005 and 12/31/2019. HRR criteria included primary refractory disease/relapse within 1 year, extranodal extension, B symptoms, requiring more than one salvage line, or positron emission tomography (PET)-positive disease at ASCT. All patients met the same ASCT eligibility criteria. We treated 501 patients with BEAM (n=146), busulphan/melphalan (BuMel) (n=38), gemcitabine( Gem)/BuMel (n=189) and vorinostat/Gem/BuMel (n=128). The Gem/BuMel and vorinostat/Gem/BuMel cohorts had more HRR criteria and more patients with PET-positive disease at ASCT. Treatment with brentuximab vedotin (BV) or anti-PD1 prior to ASCT, PET-negative disease at ASCT, and maintenance BV increased over time. BEAM and BuMel predominated in earlier years (2005-2007), GemBuMel and BEAM in middle years (2008-2015), and vorinostat/GemBuMel and BEAM in later years (2016-2019). The median follow-up is 50 months (range, 6-186). Outcomes improved over time, with 2-year progressionfree survival (PFS)/overall survival (OS) rates of 58%/82% (2005-2007), 59%/83% (2008-2011), 71%/94% (2012-2015) and 86%/99% (2016- 2019) (P<0.0001). Five-year PFS/OS rates were 72%/87% after vorinostat/ GemBuMel, 55%/75% after GemBuMel, 45%/61% after BEAM, and 39%/57% after BuMel (PFS: P=0.0003; OS: P<0.0001). These differences persisted within the PET-negative and PET-positive subgroups. Prior BV and vorinostat/GemBuMel were independent predictors of more favorable outcome, whereas primary refractory disease, ≥2 salvage lines, bulky relapse, B symptoms and PET-positivity at ASCT correlated independently with unfavorable outcomes. In conclusion, post-HDC/ASCT outcomes of patients with HRR classic Hodgkin lymphoma have improved over the last 15 years. Pre-ASCT BV treatment and optimized synergistic HDC (vorinostat/GemBuMel) were associated with this improvement.

Assessment of a Novel Lens Surface Treatment for Scleral Lens Wearers With Dry Eye.

OBJECTIVES: To compare lens comfort and dry eye (DE) symptoms of DE scleral lens (SL) wearers fit with polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based surface-treated and untreated SLs. Dry eye signs, comfortable SL wearing time (WT), vision quality, and lens-related ocular surface changes were also assessed. METHODS: Twenty-one SL wearers with DE and SL discomfort were enrolled in a double-masked crossover study. Participants were randomized to wear their untreated or PEG (Tangible Hydra-PEG, Tangible Science; Redwood, CA) surface-treated SL of the same parameters first for 30 days. Lens comfort, DE symptoms, and ocular surface assessments were measured at baseline, after the first test period, and after the crossover. Comfortable lens WT and frequency of foggy vision were recorded. Comparisons were assessed using paired t tests or Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. RESULTS: Polyethylene glycol-treated SL wear resulted in significantly improved: lens comfort (P=0.003), DE symptoms (P=0.004), corneal sodium fluorescein staining (P=0.01), temporal conjunctival lissamine green staining (P=0.01), lid wiper epitheliopathy (P=0.002), conjunctival papillae (P=0.003), frequency of foggy vision (P=0.002), tear break-up time (TBUT) (P=0.01), and comfortable lens WT (P=0.002) compared with untreated wear. There were no significant changes between treated and untreated lens wear for TBUT over the SL (P=0.14) and nasal conjunctival lissamine green staining (P=0.06). CONCLUSIONS: Polyethylene glycol surface-treated SLs provided improved comfort, reduced DE symptoms, and reduced ocular surface compromise compared with untreated SLs for participants with DE.

Clinical Outcomes of Scleral Lens Fitting with a Data-driven, Quadrant-specific Design: Multicenter Review.

SIGNIFICANCE: Alignment of the scleral lens haptic with the anterior ocular surface is of critical importance when fitting scleral lenses. The concept of leveraging big-data analysis to drive lens design is explored in this study. This retrospective study evaluated fitting outcomes of a data-driven, quadrant-specific scleral lens design and found that most patients (76%) were successfully fit with this design. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate clinical outcomes with a data-driven, quadrant-specific scleral lens design compared with traditional lens designs. METHODS: For this multicenter retrospective observational study, A REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture) survey was distributed to scleral lens practitioners who participated in ß testing of a data-driven, quadrant-specific scleral lens design (study lens) between June 1, 2016, and January 31, 2017. Descriptive data were collected, and patient-reported outcomes, visual acuity, and lens design outcomes achieved with the study lens were described. RESULTS: Seventy-five patients (85 eyes) were fit with the study lens design between June 2016 and January 2017. Mean patient age was 47 years (range, 17 to 77 years). Forty-six were male, and 29 were female. Seventy-six eyes (89%) were fit for corneal irregularity, whereas nine eyes (11%) were fit for management of ocular surface disease. Compared with habitual correction, 22% more eyes achieved 20/20 or better, and 21% more eyes achieved 20/40 or better. There was also a 60% decrease in the need for midday removal with the study lens. An average of two lenses were manufactured per eye to complete the fitting process. CONCLUSIONS: Using a data-driven, quadrant-specific scleral lens resulted in visual improvement, a reduced need for midday removal, and an average of two lenses needed to complete the fitting process. Longer-term clinical outcomes and the use of big-data analysis to inform scleral lens design should be further explored.

Technical Report: Guidelines for Handling of Multipatient Contact Lenses in the Clinical Setting.

SIGNIFICANCE: Standardized guidelines that are clinically practical are needed to assist the prescriber in minimizing the risk of conveying infection through multiuse diagnostic contact lens use and reuse.Contact lens prescribers face the specter of transferring potential pathogens from one patient to another when reusing diagnostic (trial) contact lenses on multiple patients because infectious organisms have been recovered from worn contact lenses, although there is no evidence of transmission through this mechanism. These pathogens can be introduced into the system from one patient to another, or they may be introduced by clinician lens handling, storage, or both. These pathogens can cause acute or chronic systemic or ocular infection that can lead to significant morbidity (temporary or permanent) that includes vision loss.

FAMILY CONFLICT MODERATES EARLY PARENT-CHILD BEHAVIORAL TRANSACTIONS.

The reciprocal transactions that shape early parent-child relationships are influenced by contextual stress, such as family conflict. Although family conflict is a salient stressor to the family system, few studies have considered how parent-child transactions vary according to exposure to family conflict. The present study examined how family conflict alters early parent-child behavioral transactions. We utilized three waves of data from a multisite longitudinal study of low-income families (N = 2, 876), child age 14 months, 24 months, and 36 months, to identify behavioral transactions of positive and negative maternal (supportiveness, negative regard) and child (engagement, negativity) behaviors. Results indicated that family conflict at 14 months diminished the positive association between maternal supportiveness and child engagement, and amplified the inverse association between maternal negativity and child engagement. Family conflict at 14 months also was associated with increased stability of child negativity and subsequent increased maternal negative regard at 36 months, in part via increases in 24-month child negativity. In sum, family conflict occurring early in childhood predicted and moderated behavioral transactions between young children and their mothers.

Use of Scleral Lenses and Miniscleral Lenses After Penetrating Keratoplasty.

PURPOSE: To examine the clinical outcomes of scleral lenses for visual rehabilitation after penetrating keratoplasty (PK). METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted for 34 patients (48 eyes) who had a history of prior PK and were fit with scleral lenses between October 2009 and December 2013 at the UC Davis Eye Center. RESULTS: The most common initial indication for PK was keratoconus in 27 eyes (56%). Thirty-three eyes (69%) had previously been fit with other types of contact lenses, with small-diameter rigid gas-permeable lenses being the most common. The improvement in best-corrected visual acuity with a scleral lens compared with prior spectacle refraction or other contact lens was a mean of two best-corrected visual acuity lines. Forty-four eyes (91.7%) achieved functional vision with best scleral lens-corrected visual acuities of 20/40 or better. Patients who continued wearing scleral lenses were significantly more likely to report "good" subjective vision compared with patients who abandoned scleral lens wear (P=0.009), although change in objective best-corrected visual acuity did not differ significantly. There were no cases of infectious keratitis. Six eyes (12.5%) developed graft rejection; 3 were able to resume scleral lens wear. Nineteen eyes (39.5%) discontinued scleral lens wear for various reasons, the most common reason for discontinuation of lens wear was difficulty with scleral lens insertion or removal (8 eyes, 42.1%). CONCLUSION: Scleral lenses are effective and safe in patients who have had PK. There was a mean gain in visual acuity, with the majority of patients achieving 20/40 vision or better. The patient's subjective perception of vision was a significant factor in determining whether scleral lens wear was continued or abandoned.

Child fear reactivity and sex as moderators of links between parenting and preschool behavior problems.

Reduced supportive parenting and elevated negative parenting behaviors increase risks for maladaptive social adjustment during early childhood (e.g., Campbell, Shaw, & Gilliom, 2000). However, the magnitude of these risks may vary according to children's individual characteristics, such as sex and temperament. The current study examines whether children's sex and fear reactivity moderate the associations between mothers' observed parenting and children's behavior problems 1 year later. The sample consists of 151 predominantly African American, low-income families with one sibling who is approximately 2 years old and the closest aged older sibling who is approximately 4 years old. Results from fixed-effects within-family models indicate that fear distress (i.e., fearfulness) moderated associations between mothers' observed negative parenting and children's increased behavior problems, such that only those children with mean or higher observed fear distress scores showed increased behavior problems when exposed to mother's negative parenting. Child sex moderated associations between fear approach reactivity (i.e., fearlessness) and mothers' observed supportive parenting. Specifically, low fear approach combined with supportive parenting was associated with fewer behavior problems for boys only. Implications of these findings for preventive intervention are discussed.

Mothers' and Fathers' Sensitivity and Children's Cognitive Development in Low-Income, Rural Families.

This study examines associations between maternal and paternal sensitive parenting and child cognitive development across the first 3 years of life using longitudinal data from 630 families with co-residing biological mothers and fathers. Sensitive parenting was measured by observational coding of parent-child interactions and child cognitive development was assessed with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development and the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scales of Intelligence. There were multiple direct and indirect associations between parenting and cognitive development across mothers and fathers, suggesting primary effects, carry-forward effects, spillover effects across parents, and transactional effects across parents and children. Associations between parenting and cognitive development were statistically consistent across mothers and fathers, and the cumulative effects of early parenting on later cognitive development were comparable to the effects of later parenting on later cognitive development. As interpreted through a family systems framework, findings suggest additive and interdependent effects across parents and children.

BCLA CLEAR Presbyopia: Management with contact lenses and spectacles.

This paper seeks to outline the history, market situation, clinical management and product performance related to the correction of presbyopia with both contact lenses and spectacles. The history of the development of various optical forms of presbyopic correction are reviewed, and an overview is presented of the current market status of contact lenses and spectacles. Clinical considerations in the fitting and aftercare of presbyopic contact lens and spectacle lens wearers are presented, with general recommendations for best practice. Current options for contact lens correction of presbyopia include soft simultaneous, rigid translating and rigid simultaneous designs, in addition to monovision. Spectacle options include single vision lenses, bifocal lenses and a range of progressive addition lenses. The comparative performance of both contact lens and spectacle lens options is presented. With a significant proportion of the global population now being presbyopic, this overview is particularly timely and is designed to act as a guide for researchers, industry and eyecare practitioners alike.

Ex Vivo Expanded Cord Blood Natural Killer Cells Combined with Rituximab and High-Dose Chemotherapy and Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation for B Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.

Relapse is the major cause of failure of high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) with autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) for B cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas (B-NHL). Improvement strategies include use in combination with effective immunotherapies. We hypothesized that the combination of rituximab/HDC/ASCT with expanded cord blood (CB)-derived natural killer (NK) cells is safe and active in B-NHL. Patients with B-NHL age 15 to 70 years and appropriate ASCT candidates were eligible for the study. The CB units were selected without considering HLA match with the recipient. The CB NK cells were expanded from day -19 to day -5. Treatment included rituximab on days -13 and -7, BEAM (carmustine/etoposide/cytarabine/melphalan) on days -13 to -7, lenalidomide on days -7 to -2, CB NK infusion (108/kg) on day -5, and ASCT (day 0). The primary endpoint was 30-day treatment-related mortality (TRM); secondary endpoints included relapse-free survival (RFS), overall survival (OS), and persistence of CB NK cells. We enrolled 20 patients. CB NK cells were expanded a median of 1552-fold with >98% purity and >96% viability. We saw no adverse events attributable to the CB NK cells and 0% 30-day TRM. At median follow-up of 47 months, the RFS and OS rates were 53% and 74%, respectively. CB NK cells were detectable in blood for 2 weeks, independent of HLA-mismatch status. CD16 expression in donor NK cells was correlated favorably with outcome, and homozygosity for the high-affinity CD16 variant (158 V/V) in CB, but not recipient, NK cells was correlated with better outcomes. Our data indicate that the combination of expanded and highly purified CB-derived NK cells with HDC/ASCT for B-NHL is safe. CD16 expression in donor NK cells, particularly if homozygous for the high-affinity CD16 variant, was correlated with better outcomes.

Therapeutic contact lenses for the treatment of corneal and ocular surface diseases: Advances in extended and targeted drug delivery.

The eye is one of the most important organs in the human body providing critical information on the environment. Many corneal diseases can lead to vision loss affecting the lives of people around the world. Ophthalmic drug delivery has always been a major challenge in the medical sciences. Since traditional methods are less efficient (∼5%) at delivering drugs to ocular tissues, contact lenses have generated growing interest in ocular drug delivery due to their potential to enhance drug bioavailability in ocular tissues. The main techniques used to achieve sustained release are discussed in this review, including soaking in drug solutions, incorporating drug into multilayered contact lenses, use of vitamin E barriers, molecular imprinting, nanoparticles, micelles and liposomes. The most clinically relevant results on different eye pathologies are presented. In addition, this review summarizes the benefits of contact lenses over eye drops, strategies for incorporating drugs into lenses to achieve sustained release, results of in vitro and in vivo studies, and recent advances in the commercialization of therapeutic contact lenses for allergic conjunctivitis.

High-Dose Chemotherapy and Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation for Relapsed or Refractory Primary Mediastinal Large B-Cell Lymphoma.

Primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL) is an uncommon, aggressive type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Rituximab-containing chemoimmunotherapy with or without radiation therapy (RT) is standard first-line treatment. Relapsed or refractory (R/R) disease has long been treated with salvage chemotherapy followed by high-dose chemotherapy (HDC), with autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in appropriate patients. We retrospectively analyzed all patients with R/R PMBCL treated with HDC/ASCT at our center between January 2000 and August 2022. The 60 study patients received either rituximab-BEAM (n = 37) or rituximab-gemcitabine/busulfan/melphalan (R-GemBuMel) with or without vorinostat (n = 23), followed by ASCT. Forty-six patients received mediastinal RT, either as prior consolidation of frontline therapy or following ASCT. At median follow-up of 6 years (range, .3 to 21 years), the 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates of the whole group were 58% and 77%, respectively, for the entire cohort, 51% and 65% for the R-BEAM recipients, and 69% and 82% for R-vorinostat/GemBuMel recipients. Multivariable analyses showed that a negative positron emission tomography scan at ASCT (hazard ratio [HR], .28) and involvement of only 1 organ (HR, .33) were independently associated with improved PFS. In addition, receipt of R-vorinostat/GemBuMel (HR, .23) was an independent favorable predictor of OS. Our data indicate that HDC/ASCT is effective in R/R PMBCL, with improved outcomes in patients receiving R-vorinostat/GemBuMel.

TFOS Lifestyle: Impact of contact lenses on the ocular surface.

Several lifestyle choices made by contact lens wearers can have adverse consequences on ocular health. These include being non-adherent to contact lens care, sleeping in lenses, ill-advised purchasing options, not seeing an eyecare professional for regular aftercare visits, wearing lenses when feeling unwell, wearing lenses too soon after various forms of ophthalmic surgery, and wearing lenses when engaged in risky behaviors (e.g., when using tobacco, alcohol or recreational drugs). Those with a pre-existing compromised ocular surface may find that contact lens wear exacerbates ocular disease morbidity. Conversely, contact lenses may have various therapeutic benefits. The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic impinged upon the lifestyle of contact lens wearers, introducing challenges such as mask-associated dry eye, contact lens discomfort with increased use of digital devices, inadvertent exposure to hand sanitizers, and reduced use of lenses. Wearing contact lenses in challenging environments, such as in the presence of dust and noxious chemicals, or where there is the possibility of ocular trauma (e.g., sport or working with tools) can be problematic, although in some instances lenses can be protective. Contact lenses can be worn for sport, theatre, at high altitude, driving at night, in the military and in space, and special considerations are required when prescribing in such situations to ensure successful outcomes. A systematic review and meta-analysis, incorporated within the review, identified that the influence of lifestyle factors on soft contact lens dropout remains poorly understood, and is an area in need of further research. Overall, this report investigated lifestyle-related choices made by clinicians and contact lens wearers and discovered that when appropriate lifestyle choices are made, contact lens wear can enhance the quality of life of wearers.

Jupiter Scleral Lenses: the UC Davis Eye Center experience.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate both the indications for and results of fitting the Jupiter Scleral Lens in patients with corneal abnormalities. METHOD: This was a retrospective case review of 63 patients (107 eyes) fitted with scleral lenses between October 2009 and March 2011 at the UC Davis Eye Center. RESULTS: Sixty-three percent of 107 eyes were in patients with keratoconus. Other conditions included high postkeratoplasty astigmatism and corneal scarring. The improvement in best-corrected visual acuity compared with previous contact lens or glasses correction was a mean gain of 3.5 Snellen lines (SD=2.6). Seventy-eight percent of patients found the scleral lenses to be comfortable or comfortable. Twenty-five eyes discontinued the wear after at least 3 months. CONCLUSIONS: Jupiter Scleral lenses are a good alternative for patients with corneal abnormalities and for those who failed other types of lens rehabilitation. Seventy-seven percent of eyes fit with Jupiter Scleral Lenses were still wearing after a follow-up of 3 months.