Closed-lid factors influencing human corneal oxygen demand.

A micropolarographic system was used to measure the flux of oxygen crossing the tear-epithelial interface of the human cornea just following stabilization of four lid closure conditions. In all, 215 oxygen flux measurements were made on the corneas of 6 young healthy subjects, including 2 reference conditions: the normal open eye and anterior surface oxygen deprivation. When compared with the temperatures associated with certain of those conditions, oxygen demands greater than those predicted by a previous Q10 measurement were found. Proportional contributions of the non-temperature factor are presented, and the nature of its components suggested.