Plaque deposits are most commonly associated with which type of contact lens?

• A. Daily disposable lenses
• B. Soft lenses
• C. Hybrid lenses
• D. Rigid gas permeable lenses

Answer: (D)

Plaque deposits are a type of film that can form on the lens surface from tear-film components like proteins, lipids, and minerals precipitating onto the lens material. Rigid gas permeable lenses have a hard, non-flexible surface that can encourage these tear-film constituents to adhere and crystallize over time, producing visible plaques. Soft lenses, including daily disposables, tend to collect tear film deposits more diffusely and are designed to minimize significant, discrete plaques; their deposits are usually protein or lipid-rich but don’t form the classic plaque seen with hard lenses as often. Hybrid lenses combine a rigid center with a soft skirt, so deposit patterns can vary, but the characteristic plaque formation remains most associated with the rigid, non-deformable surface of rigid gas permeable lenses.