Quantitation of pilocarpine flux enhancement across isolated rabbit cornea by hydrogel polymer lenses.

The comparative effect on pilocarpine flux across rabbit cornea induced by two hydrogel polymer lenses containing equal doses was quantitated in a transport chamber. This closed system featured continuous flow of a tear analog but excluded variables of the internal eye influencing concentration. Flux induced by both lenses increased linearly with time. At 240 minutes total flux was a whole order greater than that induced by the same pilocarpine dose in free fluid. Analysis of pilocarpine in tear analog effluent showed the flux to be independent of the available dose retained in the hydrogel polymer lens, suggesting that corneal transport of pilocarpine to the aqueous may involve mediation by a carrier system.