title: Influence of ethanol ingestion on the cornea.
abstract: The corneal thickness variations on both eyes of thirteen healthy volunteers were measured in absence and presence of ethanol with ultrasound pachymetry. During ethanol ingestion, to a serum ethanol concentration of 0.98 +/- 0.22 g/l, a small and transient, but statistically significant increase of the corneal thickness appeared (3.0 +/- 3.4% right eye - 4.3 +/- 2.9% left eye, p < 0.05). We suggest that ethanol causes a transient depression of the endothelial pump activity. The measured effect on the cornea is too small to cause reduced visual acuity on Snellen chart. However, a resulting loss of contrast sensitivity may have consequences for car driving and safety work.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital, Tromsł, Norway.
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Olsen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Olsen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D015350:Contrast Sensitivity; D003315:Cornea / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology*; D015715:Corneal Edema / Q000209:etiology; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000187:drug effects; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016623:Ion Pumps / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014792:Visual Acuity
chemical_list: D016623:Ion Pumps; D000431:Ethanol