The suitability of water proton spin-lattice relaxation time T1as a measure of corneal dysfunction is investigated in this paper. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance measurements were performed on excised rabbit corneas using the saturation recovery method to determine the proton spin-lattice relaxation time T1. Both freshly excised and progressively swollen rabbit corneas were studied. The experimental results are consistent with a two compartment model of“bound”water and“free”water. This model results in a linear correlation between 1 / T1(measured) and 1/corneal hydration. This correlation suggests that water proton T1values can be used as an index of corneal dysfunction.