This K23 project serves two purposes: 1) It provides research career development and training for Loretta Szczotka, O.D., M.S., who has made a commitment to focus on patient-oriented research, to launch an independent career in clinical research. 2) It provides her with the knowledge and research skills necessary to translate the findings of previous studies performed by investigators at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) into the proposed clinical research project, the Longitudinal Analysis of Silicone Hydrogel (LASH) Contact Lens Study. The five-year program, will to lead to 1) the Ph.D. in Epidemiology from the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at CWRU, 2) additional training in the relevant basic and clinical science discipline of ocular immunology, and 3) a better scientific understanding of the factors and mechanisms of inflammatory and mechanical complications of silicone hydrogel continuous wear (CW) contact lens use. The LASH Contact Lens Study, and her training in epidemiology, will allow the candidate to enhance her independent research skills in an area of her clinical expertise, by serving as principal investigator in all phases of the study design, implementation, data management, and data analysis under the guidance of outstanding scientist-mentors in the fields of biometrics, immunology, and ophthalmology. The LASH Contact Lens Study will test the hypothesis that complement activation and regulation coupled with bacterial contamination of lenses and the ocular surfaces are risk factors for contact lens associated inflammatory complications. Additionally, this project will test the hypothesis that novel quantitative central and peripheral corneal shape descriptors, measured by corneal topography, are associated with mechanical complications during long term wear of silicone hydrogel lenses. 224 patients will be enrolled and followed for three years in this longitudinal cohort study.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Eye Institute (NEI)
Type
Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23)
Project #
5K23EY015270-03
Application #
7047724
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZEY1-VSN (07))
Program Officer
Wujek, Jerome R
Project Start
2004-03-01
Project End
2009-02-28
Budget Start
2006-03-01
Budget End
2007-02-28
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2006
Total Cost
$179,939
Indirect Cost
Name
Case Western Reserve University
Department
Ophthalmology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
077758407
City
Cleveland
State
OH
Country
United States
Zip Code
44106
Tagliaferri, Angela; Love, Thomas E; Szczotka-Flynn, Loretta B (2014) Risk factors for contact lens-induced papillary conjunctivitis associated with silicone hydrogel contact lens wear. Eye Contact Lens 40:117-22
Szczotka-Flynn, Loretta; Chalmers, Robin (2013) Incidence and epidemiologic associations of corneal infiltrates with silicone hydrogel contact lenses. Eye Contact Lens 39:49-52
Szczotka-Flynn, Loretta; Benetz, Beth Ann; Lass, Jonathan et al. (2011) The association between mucin balls and corneal infiltrative events during extended contact lens wear. Cornea 30:535-42
Szczotka-Flynn, Loretta; Lass, Jonathan H; Sethi, Ajay et al. (2010) Risk factors for corneal infiltrative events during continuous wear of silicone hydrogel contact lenses. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 51:5421-30
Szczotka-Flynn, Loretta B; Imamura, Yoshifumi; Chandra, Jyotsna et al. (2009) Increased resistance of contact lens-related bacterial biofilms to antimicrobial activity of soft contact lens care solutions. Cornea 28:918-26
Szczotka-Flynn, Loretta B; Bajaksouzian, Saralee; Jacobs, Michael R et al. (2009) Risk factors for contact lens bacterial contamination during continuous wear. Optom Vis Sci 86:1216-26
Szczotka-Flynn, Loretta; Ahmadian, Rouzbeh; Diaz, Mireya (2009) A re-evaluation of the risk of microbial keratitis from overnight contact lens wear compared with other life risks. Eye Contact Lens 35:69-75
Szczotka-Flynn, Loretta; Diaz, Mireya (2007) Risk of corneal inflammatory events with silicone hydrogel and low dk hydrogel extended contact lens wear: a meta-analysis. Optom Vis Sci 84:247-56