AAOpt 2024: Keeping contact lens wearers comfortable with Miebo

David Geffen, OD, FAAO presented on his research using the eye drop perfluorohexyloctane, also known as Miebo, for contact lens wearers. His poster was titled, "Revolutionizing Comfort: Unveiling the Potential of Perfluorohexyloctane Eyedrops for Contact Lens Wearers."

Geffen explained that one of the main reasons for contact lens dropout is dry eye and discomfort. His study enrolled 46 contact lens wearers - 26 daily wearers and 20 monthly wearers - and had them use the Mibo drops 4 times per day for 30 days. The study looked at various metrics like meibomian scores, staining, visual acuity, osmolarity, and contact lens comfort. Surprisingly, the only statistically significant change was an increase in contact lens comfort. Geffen noted that most of the study participants continued using the drops with their contacts after the study concluded. Based on these findings, Geffen believes Mibo could be a valuable tool for improving contact lens retention and reducing dropouts due to discomfort. He stated that plans should be made to conduct further studies to see if the drops can be used directly on the contact lenses without any issues.

Currently, Geffen and many of his colleagues are already using Miebo off-label for contact lens patients, with good results. The main considerations are ensuring patients use the right drop size and frequency (2-3 times per day may be sufficient). Overall, there is an exciting potential new application for Mibo that could transform the contact lens experience for many patients. While more research is needed, the initial findings are very promising in terms of improving comfort and potentially reducing contact lens dropout rates long-term.