Effect of hydrogel lens wear on the major tear proteins during extended wear.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the present study was to determine the whether contact lens wear disturbed the levels of tear proteins and to further determine whether this was a transient or continuous disruption.


METHODS
Lactoferrin, lysozyme and albumin were quantitated from tears of neophyte patients and were compared with the levels of these proteins in contact lens wearers after one and six nights and 6 months of extended wear. The quantitation of these tear proteins was performed by sandwich ELISA and turbidimetric assay.


RESULTS
Results showed that there were no statistically significant changes in the concentration of any of the proteins investigated.


CONCLUSIONS
Extended wear of hydrogel lenses does not appear to alter the concentration of the major tear film proteins, indicating that the tear film is constantly replenished to maintain protein levels, which are depleted due to protein adsorption to the lens surface.
Carney
F P
FP
Cooperative Research Centre for Eye Research and Technology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. F.Carney@cclru.randwick.unsw.edu.au
Morris
C A
CA
Willcox
M D
MD
D000418:Albumins / Q000378:metabolism; D015153:Blotting, Western; D003262:Contact Lenses, Extended-Wear; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000378:metabolism; D008689:Methacrylates; D009113:Muramidase / Q000378:metabolism; D013666:Tears / Q000378:metabolism*
D000418:Albumins; D005136:Eye Proteins; D008689:Methacrylates; C042434:tear proteins; C005044:hydroxyethyl methacrylate; D009113:Muramidase; D007781:Lactoferrin