CONTACT LENS ADVISORY

Why this Advisory?

After quite a few years in practice, one of my patients contracted Acanthamoeba keratitis, an extremely rare infection of the cornea that seems more prevalent in contact lens wearers. The patient is a soft lens wearer who uses a chemical disinfection method on her lenses. The origin of the infection is unknown as she had not used a hot tub, swimming pool or tap water prior to the infection. This advisory is designed to help you understand this infection, the risks, and how to avoid this microscopic amoeba that is present in virtually all water and the soil. Acanthamoeba can cause a devastating infection to the eye that could ultimately lead to a corneal transplant.

How Can You Get This Infection?

We do know that swimming, jet skiing, water skiing, hot-tubbing with your contacts on and using tap water to clean your case increases your risks of getting Acanthamoeba. This is particularly true if you have had some type of trauma to the eye such as a physical injury or injury from another type of eye infection that may have compromised the outer cells of the front of the eye. Keep in mind that Acanthamoebae are resistant to killing by freezing, dessication, a variety of antimicrobial agents, and levels of chlorine that are routinely used to disinfect municipal drinking water, swimming pools, and hot tubs.

Should You Wear Your Contact Lenses When Swimming, Jet Skiing, Water Skiing, and Hot-Tubbing?

To be on the safe side you shouldn't, particularly if you have an irritated or red eye. There is a risk though associated with not being able to see. If you cannot see the big letters on the eye chart, you may want to wear your contact lenses, sinces glasses are not very functional with watersports. You must weight the risk of an Acanthamoeba infection against the risk of injury from running into a tree stump or dock, or hitting another jet skier.

Use Proper Disinfection

The following are some of the recommended means for the disinfection of soft contact lenses. You must allow your contacts to remain in the solution the proper amount of time. This is usually four to six hours depending on the solution---overnight is preferable.

More information about Acanthamoeba infection is available on the Center for Disease Control web site at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/acanthomoeba/factsht_acanthamoeba.htm

For questions or clarification, please contact me at DrMurphy@DonaldMurphyOD.com

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