Contact lens care solutions and corneal epithelial barrier function: a fluorophotometric study.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of residual concentrations of two contact lens care solutions (hydrogen peroxide and polyaminopropyl biguanide) on corneal barrier function in vivo. The barrier function was determined by fluorophotometric measurement of corneal epithelial permeability in 30 contact lens wearing healthy subjects after 1 month's use of each of the solutions. All participants except one had corneal epithelial permeability values within the range for non-contact lens wearing healthy volunteers (0.011-0.061 and 0.008-0.090 nm/s, respectively). The deviating value (0.14 nm/s) was due to improper use of the contact lens care system. No statistical significant difference between the permeability values after use of the two contact lens care solutions was found (Wilcoxon ranked paired test: p = 0.2). It can be concluded that both solutions do not have harmful effects on corneal epithelial barrier function, provided the handling instructions are followed.