Abstract
Purpose: :
Contact lens solution-induced transient corneal staining has been reported to be associated with an inflammatory response by the cornea; however, no direct measure of inflammatory mediators have been assessed during this condition. This is the first study to evaluate the relationship between transient corneal staining after wearing contact lenses soaked in different multipurpose solutions and the concentration of 27 unique inflammatory markers in the tears.
Methods: :
The eyes of 15 subjects were randomized to a PureVision lens pre-soaked for 6 hours in ReNu MultiPlus (test) or OptiFree RepleniSH (control). Each eye was evaluated at baseline, 2h and 6h for corneal staining (extent and severity) and 7µL of non-reflex tear samples were collected via microcapillary tube. A cytometric bead-based assay (Luminex 200 flow cytometer) was used to measure the concentration of 27 unique inflammatory markers in each of the tear samples. Inflammatory marker concentrations were compared using a generalized linear model incorporating the factors treatment and time. P-values < 0.05 were considered significant.
Results: :
There was a statistically significant difference for mean staining extent between test and control eyes at 2 and 6h (Wilcoxon, p<0.01). Of the 27 inflammatory markers assayed, no statistically significant differences were observed between test or control eyes nor was there a statistically significant treatment-time interaction. Specific p-values (treatment, treatment-time interaction) for acute phase proteins were: IL-1b (p=0.54, p=0.86), TNFa (p=0.33, p=0.72), IL-6 (p=0.35, p=0.25), IL-8 (p=0.94, p=0.72), IFNg (p=0.21, p=0.77), IL-2 (p=0.12, p=0.21) and IL-12 (p=0.24, p=0.90). All 19 late phase cytokines demonstrated no significant differences with p-values > 0.05.
Conclusions: :
No difference in acute inflammatory response was associated with the extent of contact lens solution-induced staining. .The absence of a difference in inflammatory response suggest that this contact lens solution-induced transient corneal staining is associated with factors other than tissue damage. Further investigation to assess other contributing factors is warranted.
Keywords: contact lens • cornea: epithelium