Hydrogel contact lens dehydration in controlled environmental conditions.
OBJECTIVE
To ascertain the impact of environmental conditions on hydrogel contact lens dehydration.


METHODS
Six young adult subjects wore an ACUVUE lens in one eye and a Proclear lens in the other eye for 200 minute sessions in arid, temperate, and arctic conditions, maintained in a purpose-built environmental chamber in an aerospace medical facility. Dehydration was determined by measuring lens water content before and after each session using a soft contact lens refractometer. Comfort of the lenses was assessed at the conclusion of each session.


RESULTS
Lens dehydration was similar for the three environmental conditions (F2 = 0.3, P = 0.75). There was less dehydration with the Proclear lens compared with ACUVUE lens (F1 = 43.0, P = 0.001). No differences were detected with respect to lens comfort between the three environmental conditions (F2 = 2.0, P = 0.18) or the two lens types (F1 = 1.4, P = 0.29).


CONCLUSIONS
Soft contact lens dehydration is unaffected by environmental extremes.
Morgan
Philip B
PB
Eurolens Research, Department of Optometry and Neuroscience, University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, Manchester, UK. philip.morgan@umist.ac.uk
Efron
Nathan
N
Morgan
Sarah L
SL
Little
Simon A
SA
D000328:Adult; D003263:Contact Lenses, Hydrophilic; D003890:Desiccation; D004780:Environment, Controlled; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006813:Humidity; D008297:Male; D013696:Temperature; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis
D014867:Water