Development of a Subjective Comfort Questionnaire for Hydrogel Contact Lens Wearers

Throughout this paper it is written that I would complete this study in its entirety. Due to time constraints and the length of this study, it was planned from the beginning that I would only accomplish the beginning phases, phases one and two. The reason why this paper was written this way, planning the complete research plan, is to aid the individuals that will finish this study in its entirety. I. Purpose. The purpose of this project is to develop a questionnaire that can be used as a tool to measure the subjective symptoms of ocular comfort or discomfort reported by soft contact lens wearers. After a questionnaire has been developed, it will be tested to determine its reliability and validity in capturing the ocular sensations experienced by hydrogel contact lens wearers. II. Overview of the study. The research for the study will be conducted in six phases while pursuing three specific aims. The phases will consist of: A. reviewing literature in the form of reported soft contact lens symptomatology and interviewing skill improvement, compiling and B. examining previously developed questionnaires, developing open-ended interview questions and collecting data from the field. C. developing preliminary questionnaire items based on data gained during the first phase. D. administering the preliminary questionnaire to receive feedback from volunteers with regards to each item’s appropriateness, and tallying the volunteer's responses to graphically analyze each item’s answer distribution. E. refining each item based on the data obtained during the third phase to create a revised draft of the questionnaire. F. determining if the revised draft conveyed and captured the ideas reported by the volunteers by receiving feedback after it is administered. G. demonstrating reliability and validity by psychometrically validating the questionnaire. During each administrational phase of the study (phases three, five and six) two groups of volunteers will be used to gain a broader spectrum of data. Each group will be composed of a sub-set of previously interviewed volunteers and a sub-set of new volunteers. Before any information is obtained, a confidentiality agreement will be discussed with each volunteer. All volunteers will be given a simple, easy to read informed consent form and a randomly assigned number.