It is estimated that about 36 million Americans wear contact
lenses. While contacts are effect at helping people see, there is also a chance
that contacts and their cleaning solutions can lead to eye infections. The two
most common eye infections are conjunctivitis and keratitis; which is caused by
the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and
Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Keratitis is an infection of the clear, round dome that
covers the iris and pupil called the cornea. It causes pain, reduced vision, sensitivity
to light and discharge from the eye. Bacterial keratitis usually develops very quickly
and can cause blindness if left untreated. This type of infection may be
superficial and only affect the top layers of the cornea, or deep and may leave
scars. It is estimated that 30,000 people in the US are affected annually by
bacterial keratitis. Contact lens wearers are at the greatest risk because
contaminated lens solution and overnight contact wear are the biggest risk
factors for acquiring the bacteria.
For the diagnosis of keratitis, corneal ulcer scrapings are
obtained and cultured onto chocolate, sheep blood, and Sabouraud agar. Samples
of the eyelids, conjunctiva, contact lens cases, and lens solution may also be
plated. Cotton swabs are not recommended because they contain fatty acids which
may inhibit the growth of the bacteria. Once diagnosed, bacterial keratitis is
treated with the antibiotics moxifloxacin and gatifloxacin.
Bacterial keratitis is easily preventable. Contact lens
wearers should:
ALWAYS
- Wash hands properly with soap and water and dry them before handling contact lens, contact lens solutions or related accessories.
- Cleanse and disinfect your contact lens properly according to instruction.
- Have regular check-ups by your optometrist or ophthalmologist.
- Follow the professional advice from your optometrist or ophthalmologist.
- Take off the contact lens whenever you feel discomfort or redness and seek your optometrist's or ophthalmologist's advice.
- Seek medical advice from your doctor promptly if symptoms (redness, pain, blurring of vision or photophobia) persist despite removal of contact lens.
NEVER
- Wet your lens with saliva, tap water or bottled water.
- Wear your lens while swimming, taking shower, using hot tub or sauna.
- Sleep with your lens on.
- Wear them beyond the recommended period.
I wear contacts, and I had a really bad infection last summer. They never said which bacteria had caused it, but now that I'm reading this, EEEEKKKKK!!! LOL!!! I had a bad habit of sleeping in my contacts and they figured that was the cause of the infection. I never thought about it being bacteria like nasty Pseudomonas or Staphylococcus causing it, which I still hope that it wasn't either one. However, it was a pretty bad infection in both eyes, so I guess it was possible it was caused by one of those, especially since I always slept in my contacts.....
ReplyDeleteI wear contacts as well, but luckily I have ever suffered from an infection. When reading what never to do while wearing contacts, one that stuck out to me was to never sleep in your contacts. The brand of contacts that I have allows me to be able to sleep in my contacts up to 6 days. Now knowing what my optometrist says and then looking at the "Never Do" list, it makes me wonder why they say we can wear them for a certain period of time while knowing it can possibly cause an infection. Sleeping in contacts decreases the oxygen to the cornea. It was interesting to find out that between the two eye infection causing bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the latter bacteria is mostly seen in contact lens wearers. Pseudomonas aeruginosa has enzymes that digest the cornea. Luckily, I do not make it a habit to sleep in them often and take the proper preventative measures.
ReplyDeleteI wear glasses/contacts also and every time I go for an appointment they constantly tell me how bad for your eyes it is to sleep in them, which I do not. They did tell me about a girl who did and kept sleeping in them even when she had an infection, and it got so bad she had to have a cornea transplant and now has two different color eyes. I have been having trouble wearing my contacts since about the beginning of the year and just recently saw where a medication I started taking at the same time has a side affect that affects your ability to wear contacts. I'm really interesting in figuring out why certain medications can effect something like that.
ReplyDeleteI wear glasses and have never been interested in getting contacts. I can't take anything touching my eyes closely even if it is my own hand. The idea of applying mascara makes my eyes begin to water. My older sister always sleep in her contacts and I remember one time of her having this swollen pinkish/reddish eye going on and there was a bump under the eye. When this happened her eye doctor recommened that she stopped wearing contacts ever. She still wears them but not always, she switches them out with her glasses every so often. So I guess that helps her with her infections. They even make contacts that you are supposedly able to keep in while sleeping, after reading this I'm now wondering how does that particular type of contact ensures that this is ok.
ReplyDeleteCheck out this article about new extended wear contacts and pros and cons. I think my son just got some of these.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.allaboutvision.com/contacts/extended.htm
Reading this makes me glad that I do not have to wear any form of corrective vision. I can understand contact solution being contaminated once it has been opened but Ive also have heard a lot of rumors in the past of certain brands having recalls on solution due to some form of health risks and I wonder if it is due to these organisms and how exactly they got contaminated. One interesting this I noticed in the NEVER DO category was wash with bottled water...why is this. I thought this water is pure and "clean" so what about bottled water makes it bad for contact lenses?
ReplyDelete