The effects of disposable daily wear contact lenses on goblet cell count.
OBJECTIVE
The number of goblet cells on the inferior bulbar conjunctiva increases in response to daily wear contact lens use. We conducted a study to examine whether daily wear soft contact lenses worn on a 2-week disposable schedule would also induce the same goblet cell response.


METHODS
Twenty-eight subjects who had never worn contact lenses were fit with 38% water polymacon lenses. The lenses were worn on a daily wear basis and replaced every two weeks over a 6-month period. Goblet cell count was determined by impression cytology of the inferior bulbar conjunctiva.


RESULTS
No significant increase in goblet cell count was observed in the subjects during the 6 months period; the 3.23% baseline goblet cell count was never exceeded. In our previous study, after 6 months of conventional daily wear lens use, the goblet cell count increased from a baseline of 4.19% to 8.0%.


CONCLUSIONS
It appears that wearing daily wear soft contact lenses on a disposable basis may be less irritating to the ocular surface than wearing soft contact lenses on a conventional daily wear basis.
Connor
C G
CG
Southern College of Optometry, Memphis, TN 38104, USA.
Campbell
J B
JB
Steel
S A
SA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002452:Cell Count; D002648:Child; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000166:cytology*; D003261:Contact Lenses; D004209:Disposable Equipment; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000166:cytology