Abstract
Purpose: :
To measure the effects of short-term high oxygen transmissible (Dk) soft and rigid gas permeable (RGP) contact lens wear, and eye rubbing on basal epithelial appearance and epithelial thickness.
Methods: :
Ten subjects were enrolled in a randomised cross over study. The subjects left eye was used as a control. The right eye either wore a high Dk soft, high Dk parallel fitted RGP lens for 6 hours or was rubbed with a finger for 10 minutes on three separate occasions. Epithelial basal cell regularity was assessed using in vivo confocal microscopy and a photographic grading scale. Epithelial thickness was measured at the centre and a peripheral point using modified optical pachometry.
Results: :
Changes in epithelial basal cell regularity were not observed following short term wear of high Dk soft, RGP or rubbing (Wilcoxon signed rank test, p=1.00, p=0.08, p=0.08, respectively). Central and peripheral epithelial thickness remained unchanged (ANOVA, p>0.34).
Conclusions: :
Short-term wear of high Dk soft and RGP lenses and eye rubbing do not cause visible alterations to basal epithelial cells, or central/peripheral epithelial thinning.
Keywords: contact lens • cornea: epithelium