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Biomedical subjects

W L Houde

Publications and source records attributed to W L Houde.

4 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1978

Hard contact lens wear as an environmental risk in keratoconus.

We studied 162 keratoconus patients in an attempt to clarify the role of hard contact lens wear in the development of keratoconus. Forty-three (26.5%) of these 162 patients developed keratoconus while wearing hard contact lenses. In a group of 1,248 controls who were fitted for soft contact lenses and observed by us from one year to six years, only one patient developed keratoconus. We demonstrated a circumstantial association between hard contact lens wear and the development of keratoconus, but no cause-effect relationship can be drawn from the existing data. However, we concluded that hard contact lenses do not retard or halt progression of the cone. Hard contact lens wear could not be ruled out as the specific environmental risk factor triggering keratoconus in 26.5% of the patients. If we identify the genetic risk present in this subpopulation, eliminating environmental risks would be an effective means of preventing keratoconus in those predisposed individuals.

Contact Lenses↗
PubMed1978

Aphakic soft contact lens update.

Problems with the N series were mainly due to poor or viable visual acuity that could not be rectified by correcting the residual refractive error in spectacle overrefraction. The error lay mainly in the design of the lens and the fitting rationale. The introduction of lenses (B3 and F3) with base curve and power that adequately covered a wider range of aphakic eyes has solved the fitting problems in most cases. These have been done without sacrificing the simplicity in fitting. Most eyes can be fitted using the B3 series for corneas flatter than 43.00 diopters and the F3 for steeper corneas. The clinical application of the J3 has been found in our hands to be nil. Availability and reproducibility of these lenses are reasons for our preference to fit them for noncontinuous wear in aphakia. In addition, they were found to be a very safe and efficacious correction for the aphakic eye.

Aphakia↗
PubMed1977

Pharmacogenetics in keratoconus.

Genetic markers such as phenylthiourea (PTC) taste has been used as a simple test in genetically determined diseases. A solution of 8.1 mg PTC in 100 ml of water was used as the antimode. The incidence of nontasters in the 50 keratoconus patients tested was similar to that found in the normal population. Under the conditions of this study, a common genetic basis between PTC taste testing and keratoconus is definitely not present.

Humans↗