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Health & Fitness

Contact lens infections

This blog is a brief summary of eye infections through the use of contact lenses.

The idea of contact lenses has been around since 1508 when Leonardo Da Vinci made the discovery.  We have come a long way since then.  Do you remember the glass contacts that were constantly being lost and stepped on in TV shows?  Today, contacts are made from oxygen-permeable plastics and are much more comfortable to wear.  And, many can be worn for an extended period of time.  With the advent of the extended-wear lenses comes an increased risk of infection due to non-adherence of the guidelines of wear.

The most common eye infection is conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye and is the most common type of infection in young children which accounts for more missed days in school/day care than any other infection.  There are several types of causes of conjunctivitis including viruses, bacteria, allergies and parasites. 

Viral infections of the eye are usually contracted from a variety of viruses including rubella, rubeola and herpes and can spread rapidly from one eye to the next and from person to person.  This can quickly spread into an epidemic. The condition usually clears up in 7-14 days without treatment.

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Bacterial conjunctivitis is similar in presentation but is usually treated with topical antibiotics.  The differentiating symptom that usually is not seen in a viral infection is a purulent or pussy discharge.  Some of the most common bacteria include Staph and Strep as well as Haemophilus species. 

The most severe infection, Acanthamoeba keratitis, although rare, is the parasitic infection known as  Acanthamoeba species.  It gains access to the eye through contact lens use contaminated by fresh, non-sterile water.  This can be contracted by wearing contact lenses while swimming or taking a shower or through cleaning them with tap water.  This is easily prevented by removing contact lenses before showering or swimming, especially in public pools.  Acanthamoeba can be diagnosed by an eye professional and needs to be caught in the early stages of the infection to prevent vision loss.

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Although these infections are becoming more prominent, they still only comprise about 5% of eye disorders.  The best way to eliminate the risk is by frequent handwashing and through adherence of handling and usage guidelines of contact lenses. 

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