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Corneal Erosion With Pigments Derived From a Cosmetic Contact Lens: A Case Report
Takehito Watanabe1, Masafumi Uematsu, Yasser Helmy Mohamed
1Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (T.W., M.U., Y.H.M., T.K.), Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan; Department of Ophthalmology (H.E.), Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima, Japan; and Division of Chemistry (S.I.), Institute of Socio-Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokushima, Tokushima, Japan.
Purpose:
To report a case of corneal erosion with pigments derived from a cosmetic contact lens (CCL).
Methods:
A 29-year-old woman complained of foreign body sensation after wearing CCL. Slit-lamp examination of her left eye revealed corneal erosion with yellow pigment at its edges. The surface of the CCLs was examined using the rub-off test and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). An elementary analysis using SEM with energy-dispersive x-ray (SEM-EDX) was also performed.
Results:
On the back surface of the CCL, the pigments easily came off during the rub-off test. An SEM examination found exposed pigments with needle-like construction on the back surface. SEM-EDX revealed the presence of carbon, oxygen, iron, titanium, and chlorine in the pigments.
Conclusion:
Direct contact between the bare pigments on a CCL and the corneal surface can cause corneal damage.
