Contact lenses are great for sight, but do they have an impact on general eye health? A new study explores the biological changes in the eye that may occur while wearing contacts. The measurements come from tears collected by study volunteers and analyzed for inflammatory markers by researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Optometry.
Biological changes in the eye can be measured through minor fluctuations in the level of cytokines, which are present in the tear film. Cytokines are strong indicators of overall eye health, especially in contact wearers. Early tear-research results show that even minor changes in eye biology can inform lens-wear prescribing and patient preference. "It is helping us to understand and get a clearer picture of eye health during the course of a month, which is the length of time some people choose to keep in their extended-wear contacts," says Lucy Kehinde, a UAB doctoral student in the Vision Sciences Graduate Program. "The choice between lenses should be taken seriously in terms of reducing the risk of eye infections and other sight problems."
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Source: University of Alabama at Birmingham. Tear Research Focused on Contact Lens Risks, Benefit. Newswise, 06 May 2009.
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