What lens material is contraindicated with abrasive surfactant/cleaners?

• A. Low-Dk materials
• B. Silicone-containing materials
• C. Gluten-free materials
• D. Hyper-Dk/plasma treated materials

Answer: (D)

Abrasive cleaners can damage lenses that rely on a delicate surface modification, such as plasma-treated or surface-etched high-Dk materials. The plasma treatment creates a specialized, highly interactive surface to improve wettability and comfort, but the abrasive action of certain cleaners can wear away or dull that modified layer. Once the surface treatment is compromised, wettability, surface smoothness, and oxygen transmission at the surface can degrade, leading to increased deposits, reduced comfort, and potential lens integrity issues. That’s why hyper-Dk/plasma treated materials are contraindicated with abrasive surfactants or cleaners. The other material categories aren’t inherently at the same risk from abrasives—for example, low-Dk materials are primarily a permeability concern, and silicone-containing or gluten-free classifications don’t specify a cleaning-induced surface vulnerability in the same way.