oxygenase inducer in the composition of the invention is generally from about 0 0005 to about 1 0 w v more preferably 0 001 to 0 2 w v and even more preferably about 0 02 w v the membrane permeable anti acidosis buffer may be included in the composition to correct corneal acidosis in general the requirements of the buffer are 1 it must permeate through the corneal epithelium into the interior of epithelial cells and thus must be able to buffer the intracellular ph of epithelial cells 2 it must pass through the epithelium into the stroma and buffer acellular stromal tissue and 3 it must be acceptable from a safety and toxicology point of view thus suitable buffers should be soluble in tears physiologically acceptable act as a proton acceptor in vivo and be capable of permeating through the corneal epithelial cell membranes into the intracellular medium of the epithelial cells and must also be capable of permeating through the entire corneal epithelium into the corneal stroma the most preferred buffer is a weak base tris hydroxymethyl aminomethane tris or alternatively di hydroxymethyl aminomethane tris has been used for the treatment of acute respiratory acidosis or metabolic acidosis which develops during cardiac operations because of its low toxicity and excellent buffering ability g g nahas clin pharmacol and ther 1963 4 784 802 other organic amines can be used sodium bicarbonate and hydroxide ion can also be used an effective concentration range for the membrane permeable anti acidosis buffer is generally from about 0 05m to about 0 50m more preferably 0 10m to 0 30m the osmoprotectant may be included in the composition to regulate intracellular and or extracellular osmotic pressure the osmoprotectant can thus.