Contact lenses: breeding grounds for germs

Munich (The-Health-Site.com) - Bacteria and fungi on the contact lenses are not only unhygienic, but also dangerous. Nevertheless, many lens wearers do not take hygiene very seriously: more than 60 percent of the lens boxes are contaminated. Lack of contact lens care benefits microorganisms such as bacteria or fungi - they can easily colonize and proliferate massively.

Contact lenses: breeding grounds for germs

Munich (The-Health-Site.com) - Bacteria and fungi on the contact lenses are not only unhygienic, but also dangerous. Nevertheless, many lens wearers do not take hygiene very seriously: more than 60 percent of the lens boxes are contaminated.

Lack of contact lens care benefits microorganisms such as bacteria or fungi - they can easily colonize and proliferate massively. This pre-programmed infections of the eyes, which in the worst case permanently damage the eyesight.

How often and why contact lens boxes are contaminated, Yvonne Wu from Berkeley University and her team wanted to know. They questioned contact lens wearers about their hygiene behavior and additionally examined participants' contact lens boxes for pathogens.

Soap washing hands is a must

In 66 percent of the contact lens containers, the researchers found bacteria or fungi. In particular, three behaviors of the lens wearers were closely related to the contamination: dispensing with hand washing with soap prior to contact lens handling and the use of disinfectants and boxes that were not tailored to the type of contact lens. In addition, many of the boxes had not let in the air dry in between.

Overall, the contact lens wearers also seem to become careless over time: In the contact lens boxes of subjects who had worn contact lenses for two years, found more germs.

A total of 119 contact lens wearers filled in questionnaires for the hygienic handling of their lenses. In addition, they provided used contact lens cases for the study, which were tested in the laboratory for bacteria and fungi.

Behind bright red eyes can be different causes. Triggers and how to handle them.

Recommendation for contact lens wearers

The researchers emphasize that it is particularly important to wash your hands with soap before touching the lenses, to let the storage containers dry in the air and to use suitable disinfectants - for example from the same company.

The German Society of Ophthalmology (DOG) recommends the following hygiene measures:

  • Thorough hand washing before touching the contact lenses
  • Gently rub lenses with cleaning solution for about 20 seconds
  • Rinse the lenses with sterile, unpreserved saline prior to insertion
  • Remove proteins from the tear film deposited on the lenses approximately once a week with special protein removers adapted to the care system
  • Read the instructions for use of the hygiene system well
  • Only use storage solutions that are suitable for the respective lens type
  • Use fresh solution daily and do not dilute
  • Do not mix different hygiene systems
  • Disinfecting the lenses and the container with means provided for this purpose
  • Every one to three months also change the container

Sources:

Yvonne T. Wu et al.: The Effect of Contact Lens Hygiene Behavior on Lens Case Contamination. Optometry and Vision Science (2015), doi: 10.1097 / OPX.0000000000000477

Professional Association of Ophthalmologists of Germany e.V. and German Ophthalmological Society: Information for You - Contact Lenses, 2011. (dog.org)
Contact lenses: breeding grounds for germs

FAQ - 💬

❓ Can bacteria grow on contacts?

👉 About 80% to 90% of contact lens-related eye infections are bacterial. Many involve a common and tough-to-treat bacteria known as staphylococcus aureus. But the most severe may be pseudomonas aeruginosa, a fast-growing bacterial infection that can lead to a hole in your cornea.

❓ How do contact lenses get contaminated?

👉 Results. Lens handling greatly increases the incidence of lens contamination, and the ocular surface has a tremendous ability to destroy organisms. However, even when removed aseptically from the eye, more than half of lenses are found to harbor microorganisms, almost exclusively bacteria.

❓ How do I know if my contact lens is contaminated?

👉 Symptoms of contact lens–related infections include:

  1. blurry vision.
  2. unusual redness of the eye.
  3. pain in the eye.
  4. tearing or discharge from the eye.
  5. being extra sensitive to light.
  6. feeling like there is something in your eye.

❓ What bacteria causes contact lens?

👉 It can affect contact lens wearers, and also sometimes people who do not wear contact lenses. Types of bacteria that commonly cause bacterial keratitis include: Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Staphylococcus aureus.

❓ Can dirty contacts make you sick?

👉 The most common infection caused by wearing contacts is called keratitis. Keratitis is an infection of the cornea, the clear domed window in front of the eye. You can develop this type of infection if you do not clean your contacts properly.

❓ How do you get bacteria off contacts?

👉 Clean lenses equals clear vision

  1. Always wash your hands before handling your lenses.
  2. Don't use tap water to rinse your lenses. ...
  3. To clean your lenses, rub them with your fingers, then rinse them with solution before soaking them. ...
  4. Keep your lens case clean, and replace it at least every three months.

❓ How do I know if my contacts have bacteria?

👉

  1. Irritated, red eyes.
  2. Worsening pain in or around the eyes—even after contact lens removal.
  3. Light sensitivity.
  4. Sudden blurry vision.
  5. Unusually watery eyes or discharge.

❓ What kind of infections can you get from contacts?

👉

  • Bacterial Keratitis.
  • Fungal Keratitis.
  • Parasitic/Amebic Keratitis.
  • Viral Keratitis.

❓ Can you get a parasite from contact lenses?

👉 What puts people at risk for Acanthamoeba keratitis? In the United States, an estimated 85% of AK cases occur in contact lens wearers 8, 9. For people who wear contact lenses, the risk of getting Acanthamoeba keratitis is higher if they: Do not store or handle contact lenses properly.

❓ How do I sterilize my contact lenses?

👉 Caring For & Cleaning Your Contact Lenses

  1. Fill each chamber. of your contact lens case with fresh contact lens disinfecting solution.
  2. Place one lens. in the washed, cleaned and dried palm of your hand and apply a few drops of your contact lens disinfecting solution. ...
  3. Rinse your lens. ...
  4. Repeat this routine.

❓ How do you disinfect contact lenses?

👉 Caring For & Cleaning Your Contact Lenses

  1. Fill each chamber. of your contact lens case with fresh contact lens disinfecting solution.
  2. Place one lens. in the washed, cleaned and dried palm of your hand and apply a few drops of your contact lens disinfecting solution. ...
  3. Rinse your lens. ...
  4. Repeat this routine.


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