Characteristics of Silicone Hydrogel Contact Lenses Commercially Available in Korea

Abstract

Soft contact lenses are made of soft and flexible materials that are comfortable to wear and adapt quickly. According to the material, soft contact lenses can be divided into hydrogel contact lenses and silicone hydrogel contact lenses. Silicone hydrogel contact lenses have enhanced oxygen permeability compared to conventional hydrogel contact lenses, so side effects from long-term wear can be reduced. Representative factors that explain the characteristics of soft contact lenses are oxygen permeability, water content, and modulus. To increase the oxygen permeability of silicone hydrogel contact lenses, it is necessary to increase the silicone content, and the increase in the silicone content is accompanied by a decrease in the water content. As the water content decreases, the modulus of the contact lens increases, making the material harder and uncomfortable to wear. In this paper, the oxygen permeability, water content, and modulus of silicone hydrogel contact lenses that can be commercially available in the domestic market are investigated.