The corneal stroma during contact lens wear.
Recent technological advances have lead to novel descriptions of the microanatomy of the corneal stroma. In the first section of this review, these findings and the role they play in the maintenance of vital properties such as corneal transparency, mechanical strength, homeostasis, wound-healing response and metabolism are described. In the second part, contact lens induced stromal alterations such as acidosis, oedema, striae, thinning and opacities are reviewed as well as the more recently described phenomenon of microdot deposits and keratocyte loss with an emphasis on how lens wearing stromal effects can be minimised.
Jalbert
Isabelle
I
The Vision Cooperative Research Centre, School of Optometry and Vision Science, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia. i.jalbert@visioncrc.org
Stapleton
Fiona
F
D000818:Animals; D003261:Contact Lenses / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003319:Corneal Stroma / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans