Contact lens care and complications.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Contact lens technology has advanced significantly over the last two decades.
• Despite technological progress, numerous lens-related complications have emerged.
• Bacterial keratitis and increasing reports of Acanthamoeba keratitis are major concerns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the increasing incidence of infectious complications associated with contact lens wear.
• To emphasize the importance of proper contact lens care in mitigating these risks.
• To provide specific disinfection recommendations based on contact lens properties.

Main Methods:

• Review of recent literature on contact lens-related infections and disinfection methods.
• Analysis of trends in bacterial keratitis and Acanthamoeba keratitis incidence.
• Comparison of thermal and chemical disinfection efficacy for different soft contact lens types.

Main Results:

• Infectious complications, particularly Acanthamoeba keratitis, are on the rise despite contact lens advancements.
• Proper contact lens hygiene is crucial for reducing the risk of microbial keratitis.
• Disinfection methods should be tailored to lens water content: thermal for low-water, chemical for high-water soft lenses.

Conclusions:

• Adherence to appropriate contact lens care protocols is essential for patient safety.
• Tailored disinfection strategies based on lens material (water content) can minimize infection risks.
• Ongoing vigilance and education are necessary to combat the growing threat of contact lens-related microbial keratitis.