ACID-BASE TOLERANCE OF THE CORNEA

Abstract

The present investigation is preliminary to a study of the mechanisms by which acids and alkalis damage the cornea. Previous work in this field has been relatively devoid of quantitative analysis. We feel that the prerequisites of a rigorous approach to this problem are: (1) the utilization of isotonic solutions of known<i>p</i>hcomposed of simple acids, alkalis or buffer substances; (2) the separation of the physical factors of penetration from those purely chemical effects in which we are primarily interested, and (3) the elaboration of a numerical method of evaluating the severity of the reaction produced, so as to yield data which may be studied statistically and graphically. <h3>METHODS AND MATERIAL</h3><h3>Solutions Used.</h3> —In order to have a buffer solution with essentially the same molecular composition over the entire range of<i>p</i>hstudied, we have used the following solution, which is similar to that described by Teorell