Polarography: an oxygen survey correlating oxygen transmissibility to "EOP" values.

A polarographic oxygen electrode was used to measure the oxygen transmissibility of seven contact lenses of varying water content and center thickness. A similar electrode was used to measure the oxygen uptake following wear of these same contact lenses for both the open- and closed-eyelid conditions on five young healthy subjects. Linear regression revealed a strong correlation between oxygen transmissibility and equivalent oxygen percentage (EOP) values for both the open- and closed-eyelid conditions. This strong correlation between these two oxygen parameters shows both are useful in predicting the oxygen tensions across the tear-epithelial interface during contact lens wear.