Researchers recently determined that astigmatism and asymmetry in keratoconus (KC) were significantly reduced with gas permeable (GP) lens wear using a particular design conducive to corneal reshaping. The study enrolled 32 patients with KC.

Wearing GPs with apical or three-point touch corrected the posterior spherical component and corneal regular/irregular astigmatism in KC. This effect resulted from the biomechanical stress-strain caused by the lens. Further, GPs with apical or three-point touch had a greater effect on biomechanically weaker corneas with KC.

Apical or three-point touch may “mold” the keratoconic cornea by exerting pressure on the cone apex. The researchers concluded that long-term observation of this phenomenon is warranted.