A Randomized Trial on the Benefits of Refitting Symptomatic Contact Lens Wearers with Daily Disposable Lenses

Backgraund/objetive: Contact lens discomfort (CLD) is a prevalent issue affecting up to 50% of wearers and contributes to discontinuation in approximately 30% of cases. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of refitting symptomatic monthly replacement lens wearers with a new daily disposable contact lens (Kalifilcon A DDCL) and to compare its effectiveness against a placebo lens. Methods: Seventy-nine symptomatic wearers (CLDEQ-8 ≥ 12; mean age 27.07 ± 8.38 years; 77% female) were recruited and randomly assigned to wear either Kalifilcon A DDCL or a placebo lens. Participants were assessed at baseline and after one month of lens wear. Subjective measures included the CLDEQ-8 and the NEI VFQ-25 questionnaire. Objective assessments included tear film stability and ocular surface health. Statistical significance was determined using paired and unpaired t-tests (p<0.05). Results: Kalifilcon A DDCL wearers showed a significant reduction in CLDEQ-8 scores (18.5 ± 4.6 to 10.8 ± 8.5; p<0.005), with only 33% remaining symptomatic. Vision-related quality of life improved (75.83 ± 8.0 to 83.5 ± 8.6; p<0.005), especially in ocular pain (p<0.001), role difficulties (p<0.001), and color vision (p<0.05). Compared to the placebo lens, Kalifilcon A DDCL led to greater improvements in comfort (p<0.0001), visual acuity (p<0.0001), and satisfaction (p=0.005). Tear film stability also improved significantly (p<0.05), with no changes observed in the placebo group. Conclusions: Refitting symptomatic contact lens wearers with Kalifilcon A DDCL significantly improves comfort, reduces CLD symptoms, and enhances vision-related quality of life. These results support its use as a beneficial alternative to monthly lenses in symptomatic individuals.