Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 23, 2026
Development of an In Vitro Ocular Platform to Test Contact Lenses
Published on: April 6, 2016
Hydrogel contact lens dehydration in controlled environmental conditions
Philip B Morgan1, Nathan Efron, Sarah L Morgan
1Eurolens Research, Department of Optometry and Neuroscience, University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, Manchester, UK. philip.morgan@umist.ac.uk
Purpose:
To ascertain the impact of environmental conditions on hydrogel contact lens dehydration.
Methods:
Six young adult subjects wore an ACUVUE lens in one eye and a Proclear lens in the other eye for 200 minute sessions in arid, temperate, and arctic conditions, maintained in a purpose-built environmental chamber in an aerospace medical facility. Dehydration was determined by measuring lens water content before and after each session using a soft contact lens refractometer. Comfort of the lenses was assessed at the conclusion of each session.
Results:
Lens dehydration was similar for the three environmental conditions (F2 = 0.3, P = 0.75). There was less dehydration with the Proclear lens compared with ACUVUE lens (F1 = 43.0, P = 0.001). No differences were detected with respect to lens comfort between the three environmental conditions (F2 = 2.0, P = 0.18) or the two lens types (F1 = 1.4, P = 0.29).
Conclusion:
Soft contact lens dehydration is unaffected by environmental extremes.
