Determination of oxygen tension on rabbit corneas under contact lenses.

Purpose: To determine oxygen tension (PO2) on rabbit corneas beneath rigid gas permeable (RGP), hydrogel, and silicone elastomer lenses under open- and closed-eye conditions and to demonstrate the relationship between PO2 and overnight corneal swelling response in the rabbit model.
Methods: An improved PO2 monitoring system (PO-2080) with a platinum-micro-wire-electrode was used to measure PO2. An ultrasonic pachymeter (DGH-2000) was used to measure corneal thickness after overnight wear.
Results: The relationship between PO2 and oxygen transmissibility (Dk/ L) of the contact lens was linear for Dk/L between 0 and 70 x 10(-9) (cm/ sec)(mLO2/mL x mmHg). For Dk/L greater than 70 x 10(-9), PO2 gradually reached a plateau at 120 mmHg for open-eye conditions and 20 mmHg for closed-eye conditions. PO2 was inversely related to the overnight corneal swelling, ranging from 5.1% swelling at PO2 113.5/17.5 mmHg (open/closed-eye) for a hyper Dk/L lens (125 x 10(-9)) to 15.1% swelling at PO2 10.4/5.1 mmHg for a low Dk/L lens (11.5 x 10(-9)).
Conclusions: Polarographic determination of PO2 provides reliable information about the amount of oxygen available to the cornea under a lens for both open-eye and closed-eye conditions. The data demonstrate that it is not possible to achieve normal oxygen levels with contact lens wear, even when hyper Dk/L lenses are worn.