title: The use of contact lenses in environments with organic solvents, acids or alkalies.
abstract: The advantages and disadvantages of using soft contact lenses in environments with fumes from solvents or splashes of strong acids and alkalies were studied experimentally. Uptake of trichloroethylene and xylene by lens materials was up to 90 times that by physiologic saline, used to simulate tear fluid. However, when exposed lenses were soaked for 10 and 60 min in a very small volume of saline the concentration of solvents in that saline was only up to 23% and 11%, respectively, of that in directly exposed saline. Solvents were released mainly to the air. Thus, contact lenses would lead to a prolonged exposure but to a rather low concentration as compared to direct exposure. Other solvents may behave differently. Contact lenses did not protect the cornea against strong alkalies but did not seem to worsen the condition either. However, in the thicknesses used they provided a significant although incomplete protection against strong acids.
mesh_terms: D000143:Acids / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000468:Alkalies / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000818:Animals; D002057:Burns, Chemical / Q000209:etiology; D003261:Contact Lenses; D003315:Cornea / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005126:Eye Burns / Q000139:chemically induced; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D011817:Rabbits; D012306:Risk; D012997:Solvents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014241:Trichloroethylene / Q000009:adverse effects; D014992:Xylenes / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D000143:Acids; D000468:Alkalies; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D012997:Solvents; D014992:Xylenes; D014241:Trichloroethylene