Biochmical aspects of contact lens wear.

Glycogen, adenosine triphosphate, and hydration were measured in rabbit corneal epithelium to determine whether the corneal epithelium glycogen decrease, increase in epithelial hydration, and decrease in epithelial adenosine triphosphate stores, seen as a result of contact lens wear, were secondary only to anoxia or may also have resulted from mild trauma, with no interference to oxygenation. Conventional contact lens wear, trauma, and oxygen-permeable contact lens wear caused metabolic changes, showing trauma as well as anoxia may play an important role in the corneal epithelial response to contact lens wear.