Contact Lens Users Warned

Archives Admin · #1 (**permalink**) 04-17-2006, 01:17 PM

Contact lens users in Bahrain have been warned against the spread of a fungal corneal infection in some countries.

The Bahrain Ophthalmologists Association (BOA) has urged the Health Ministry to carry out a study on the relation between a specific contact lens solution and such infections.

There have been no cases seen in Bahrain where the contact lens solution has been confirmed as the cause, said BOA chairman and Specialised Eye Centre consultant Dr Hassan Al Arrayed.

"However, it is important to carry out a detailed study on the matter," he told the GDN.

Dr Al Arrayed said his clinic was able to save an adult Bahraini female patient from blindness, following three weeks of suffering from acute eye infection.

"She presented with strange look of Keratitis. We suspected the causative agent was a fungal microbial agent and our lab studies confirmed that," he added.

"We started the appropriate treatment and the patient recovered her vision 90 per cent, compared to 20pc before treatment" .

"We know the triggering cause was unhygienic contact lens use."

Dr Al Arrayed said he was not sure of the exact cause, but it could be the unhygienic contact lens use, the lens solution itself, unclean water or fluids, or mini trauma and injury.

"With the increased popularity of using contact lenses, more patients are presenting to ophthalmologists with different types of corneal infections due to bacteria, virus or fungus," said Dr Al Arrayed.

"These infections have the potential to cause significant vision threatening problems."

Following a recent outbreak of "Fusarium Keratitis", a rare but serious fungal infection, the US Food & Drug administration (FDA) has issued a public health notification over the danger to soft contact lens wearers.

A total of 109 cases were reported in 17 states in the US and 39 cases in Singapore, Malayasia, Australia and Hong Kong.

The source of the infections has not been pinpointed.

The FDA's Centre for Disease Control (CDC) is now making case studies among contact lens solution manufacturers and state and local health departments.

They are seeking to define the specific behaviour or products that seem to be placing contact lens wearers at increased risk of Fusarium Keratitis.

Out of 30 cases in the US studied by the CDC, 28 patients wore soft contact lenses and 26 of them used Bausch & Lomb Renu brand contact lens solution in the month before the onset of the infection.

Additional risk factors for Keratitis included wearing lenses overnight, poor hygiene while handling contact lenses and improper storage and use of contact lens solutions.

Eight patients required corneal transplantation.

In Singapore, of those 39 reported cases of fungal corneal infection, 34 used Renu contact lens solution.

Bausch & Lomb has suspended sales of its contact lens solution Renu in US, Singapore and Hong Kong as the investigation continues.

Although the risk factors seemed to be multi-factorial, awareness definitely plays a role in decreasing such types of corneal infections, said Dr Al Arrayed.

"Opticians should reinforce the patients to follow strictly the directions for the use of contact lenses and the solutions," he added.

"The patients should also maintain strict hygienic pattern while handling contact lenses.

"They should also use sterile solutions, and should not use tap water as it can bring the germs. The container can be also a source for the infection, and so people should maintain proper hygiene.

"Do not sleep with contact lens as it reduces the oxygenation of the cornea which leads the development of corneal ulcers."

Dr Al Arrayed warned the contact lens wearers to stop using them immediately if they feel any symptoms such as pain, redness, foreign body sensation.

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Contact Lens Users Warned

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