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Contact lens hygiene compliance and lens case contamination: A review

Yvonne Tzu-Ying Wu1, Mark Willcox1, Hua Zhu1

  • 1School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.

Contact Lens & Anterior Eye : the Journal of the British Contact Lens Association
|May 19, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Contact lens cases frequently harbor microorganisms, with over 50% showing contamination. This review discusses risks, prevention strategies, and the need for an industry-wide approach to improve contact lens safety.

Area of Science:

  • Ophthalmology
  • Microbiology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Contact lens cases can harbor microorganisms, posing a risk to eye health.
  • Microbial contamination of lens cases is a significant factor in contact lens-related adverse events.
  • High rates of contamination (over 50%) are frequently reported in studies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the prevalence, microbial profile, and risk factors of contact lens case contamination.
  • To discuss current challenges in managing and reducing lens case contamination.
  • To propose strategies for cleaning, improving compliance, and redesigning lens cases.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on contact lens case contamination.
  • Analysis of microbial species commonly found in contaminated cases.
  • Discussion of risk factors and compliance issues.

Main Results:

  • Lens case contamination rates commonly exceed 50%.
  • Frequently isolated microorganisms include Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, Bacillus spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Serratia marcescens.
  • Compliance and current lens case designs are identified as challenges.

Conclusions:

  • Reducing microbial contamination in contact lens cases is crucial for preventing sight-threatening events.
  • Effective strategies require improved cleaning practices, enhanced wearer compliance, and innovative case designs.
  • An industry-wide approach is necessary to effectively mitigate the risks associated with contaminated contact lens cases.
Keywords:
Contact lens case cleaning guidelinesContact lens hygiene complianceLens case contaminationMicrobial keratitisReviewRisk factor

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