The importance of the mucin balls

Tear exchange and contact lenses: A review

“…60 In contrast, others have shown that the presence of mucin balls results in a 3.6× increased risk of CIE. 68 A more recent report showed an association between mucin balls and micro-structural changes of the cornea, including basal epithelial irregularity and dendritic cells. 67 Of note, is that in all reports, complete recovery from the mucin ball indentation occurs 1---3 days after ceasing overnight wear. 56,60,69 Thus far, data from even the most oxygen permeable of lens materials indicates that inflammatory complications still occur and could actually be twice as high with SiHy lenses, regardless of whether they are worn on a daily wear or overnight basis.…”

“…61 Their occurrence is high in patients who sleep in lenses, with 60---100% of eyes exhibiting mucin balls after 1---3 weeks of CW. 46,67 The percentage of subjects who never used lubricating drops was up to three times higher in subjects with mucin balls than in those without mucin balls (p = 0.0014). 56 This suggests that artificially enhancing tear volume and tear replenishment helps eliminate this form of post-lens debris.…”