Tear layer thickness characteristics of rigid gas permeable lenses.

The tear layer thickness profiles of two groups of clinically successful wearers of rigid contact lenses were calculated from the measured anterior corneal surface and posterior contact lens surface characteristics. These profiles showed good agreement with their theoretical values for all parameters considered. However, as large individual variations were found, it was concluded that the tear layer thickness profile is only one of the descriptive factors needed to classify the fitting relations of rigid lenses.