What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to determine the oxygen flux required for maintaining corneal hydration under soft contact lenses.

March 21, 2026

Oxygen Flux into the Human Cornea When Covered by a Soft Contact Lens

Key Points

This research aims to determine the oxygen flux required for maintaining corneal hydration under soft contact lenses.
Measured corneal thickness in human subjects wearing gel lenses with varying thickness.
Determined the minimum oxygen tension required for normal corneal hydration.
Calculated critical oxygen flux into the cornea based on lens thickness and oxygen permeability.
Identified that minimum oxygen tension necessary for normal hydration is 10 mm Hg.
Determined critical oxygen flux is 2 μl/cm2 × hr.
Found that increasing lens thickness enhances oxygen transmissibility and flux to the cornea.

Abstract

ABSTRACT Corneal thickness was measured in human subjects who wore gel lenses that varied only in center thickness. The amount of corneal swelling that developed was a function of center lens thickness. Based on these data and the results of a previous study, the minimum oxygen tension under the lens necessary to maintain normal corneal hydration was determined to be 10 mm Hg. The critical oxygen flux into the cornea at this oxygen tension is 2 /μl/cm2 × hr. Gel‐lens center thickness and oxygen permeability can be altered to increase the oxygen tension at the tear/lens interface and resultant oxygen flux into the cornea by increasing the oxygen transmissibility of the lens.

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