Schmidt, TanninChan, Amanda2018-01-192018-01-192017-12-15http://hdl.handle.net/1880/106276In vitro contact lenses friction significantly correlates with contact lens discomfort. In this thesis, in vitro friction testing was conducted to evaluate the effects of recombinant human PRG4 (rhPRG4) as an ocular surface boundary lubricant and to evaluate both biological and synthetic test counterfaces. The objectives were to (1) assess the potential effect of different lens types and incubation times on the friction of rhPRG4-incubated contact lenses and (2) evaluate mucin- soaked PDMS as a synthetic test counterface for in vitro friction testing of contact lenses. Results of this thesis work demonstrated that a) rhPRG4 may be useful as a friction reducing lubricant on some, but not all, silicone hydrogel contact lenses; and b) as a synthetic counterface, PDMSmucin can exhibit similar friction coefficients compared to biological counterfaces on certain silicone hydrogel lenses. Overall, results led to an improved understanding of PRG4 and in vitro contact lens friction.engUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.Ocular frictionContact lensesBiotribologyBiomaterialsBiomedical devicesProteoglycan 4Engineering--Biomedicalmaster thesis10.11575/PRISM/5357