title: Tear ascorbic acid levels and the total antioxidant status in contact lens wearers: a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The tear ascorbate owing to its high concentration, functions as an effective antioxidant against the oxidative damage of cornea. Contact lens wearers (CLW) are prone to oxidative stress due to the lens-induced hypoxic conditions. A pilot study was done to compare the tear ascorbic acid level and the total antioxidant capacity give as in normal and CLW.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study 21 CLW (Mean age 23 +/- 3 years ; M-2, F-19), who were daily wear users, with duration of wear not more than four years, along with age-matched 28 controls (Mean age 28 +/- 3 ; M-15, F-13) were recruited in the study for collection of reflex tears using Schirmer's strip. Ascorbic acid in tears was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and total protein assay by spectrophotometric analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CLW showed no significant change in the tear ascorbic acid levels (0.4 +/- 0.26 mM) compared to the control subjects (0.61 +/- 0.59 mM). The amount of ascorbic acid in tears did not correlate with the TAC or the total protein of the tears. The mean TAC in CLW was 0.69 +/- 0.16 mM, with a total protein of 1.35 +/- 0.46 mg/ml while in controls it was 0.7 +/- 0.18 mM and 1.21 +/- 0.47 mg/ml respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Soft contact lens wear did not show any significant change in tear ascorbic acid, TAC and total protein levels compared to controls.
authors: Biochemistry Research Department, Sankara Nethralaya, Vision and Medical Research Foundation, 18 College Road, Chennai, India.
authors: Sai Jyothi Aluru
authors: SJ
authors: Venkata
authors: Angayarkanni
authors: A
authors: Narayanasamy
authors: Vidhya
authors: V
authors: Srinivasan
authors: Geetha Krishnan
authors: GK
authors: Iyer
authors: Ramakrishnan
authors: R
authors: Sivaramakrishnan
authors: Madhumathi
authors: M
authors: Subramanian
authors: Rajeshwari
authors: R
authors: Mahadevan
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000032:analysis*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003263:Contact Lenses, Hydrophilic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D013053:Spectrophotometry; D013666:Tears / Q000737:chemistry*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D011506:Proteins; D001205:Ascorbic Acid