ArticlePloS one2026
Integrating 3D-printed sclero-corneal models into Rigid Gas Permeable contact lens training: A pilot study.
Article in PloS one, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeRigid gas permeable contact lenses provide excellent optical quality and oxygen permeability, but their fitting process is complex. Traditional teaching methods, such as student-to-student practice, present limitations regarding safety and corneal geometry diversity. A kit of 3D-printed Sclero-Corneal Surfaces (SCSs) has been proposed as a hybrid tool combining hands-on lens manipulation with the flexibility and geometry diversity of simulations. This study evaluated the viability of these artificial SCSs for rigid gas permeable contact lenses training and used questionnaires to assess students' perceptions, as well as learning gains in fluorescein pattern interpretation.
methodsOptometry students were assigned to either a control group or an experimental group. Both groups first practiced corneal contact lens fittings on peers and completed two questionnaires: one evaluating their initial expectations and concerns related to the fittings, and a second assessing their baseline knowledge level. The experimental group then performed fittings using only the artificial models and completed an additional questionnaire examining perceived pedagogical benefits. Finally, all students repeated the knowledge questionnaire. Responses were analyzed using McNemar tests (p < 0.05) to evaluate changes in perceptions, confidence, and knowledge before and after the training.
resultsAfter real eye practice, the experimental group perceived fluorescein interpretation and lens adjustment as the most challenging tasks, while ocular discomfort was cited as a demotivating factor. After the SCSs session, over 90% of the experimental group found the new method realistic, more than 80% valued the absence of patient discomfort, and 100% of students highlighted the improved understanding of fittings dynamics. Although the knowledge questionnaire showed no statistically significant differences between groups, both reached comparable levels of proficiency.
conclusionsArtificial SCSs provide a safe, engaging, and complementary approach to traditional RGP-CL training, enabling more fittings in less time without ocular risk and effectively bridging theoretical knowledge with clinical practice.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.