Study testing high-prescription contact lenses seeks participants

Researchers at the Centre for Contact Lens Research (CCLR) at the University of Waterloo are seeking participants to be part of a study to determine the effectiveness of contact lenses for people with high prescriptions.

"There are limited contact lens options for people with extremely high prescriptions," said Dr. Jill Woods, the lead investigator of the study and a manager of the centre’s clinical research studies. "This kind of study helps to develop more products in this category, which will ultimately enable more people to successfully wear contact lenses."

Vision through high-prescription spectacle lenses can appear distorted, and thicker lenses can magnify the eyes and feel heavy on the face. Contact lenses offer more natural vision and can be more convenient for activities such as sports, but many contact lens brands are not available for high prescriptions.

The research team, based at the School of Optometry and Vision Science in the Faculty of Science, is seeking near-sighted and far-sighted people, 18 years of age and older, who wear soft contact lenses in powers higher than -12.00 or +8.00.

Study participants will receive contact lenses for the duration of the study and up to $60 compensation for their time. The study spans two weeks and includes three one-hour visits to the School of Optometry.

All measurements are typical of a routine eye exam, including vision tests, assessing the lens on the eye and asking study participants for feedback about their vision and comfort. No eye drops will be used.

"There’s no way I would want to be without my contact lenses," said one high-prescription lens wearer. "They are much better than glasses for so many things—sports, yoga, gym work-out and even playing with my baby."

All studies conducted at the Centre for Contact Lens Research have been reviewed and received ethics clearance through a University of Waterloo Research Ethics Committee.

For more information about participating in research studies, please call 519-888-4742.

About the University of Waterloo

In just half a century, the University of Waterloo, located at the heart of Canada's technology hub, has become one of Canada's leading comprehensive universities with 35,000 full- and part-time students in undergraduate and graduate programs. Waterloo, as home to the world's largest post-secondary co-operative education program, embraces its connections to the world and encourages enterprising partnerships in learning, research and discovery. In the next decade, the university is committed to building a better future for Canada and the world by championing innovation and collaboration to create solutions relevant to the needs of today and tomorrow. For more information about Waterloo, please visit www.uwaterloo.ca.

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