Contact Lens Contamination

Contamination may be common in contact-lens storage cases, research suggests.
HealthDay (11/27, Preidt) reported that, according to a study presented recently at an ophthalmology meeting, "contamination is common in contact-lens storage cases." Researchers from the Soroka Medical Center in Israel conducted tests "of contact-lens disinfection solution in the storage cases" and discovered that "Pseudomonas -- a known cause of severe corneal infections -- was the most common type of pathogen (41 percent), while fungal pathogens accounted for about 3.3 percent of contamination." In fact, "some of the solutions tested positive for pathogens every time they were tested. These pathogens can cause keratitis, an often painful inflammation of the cornea," the complications of which "can lead to vision loss." The study authors "advised contact-lens users to closely adhere to contact lens care guidelines, including frequent cleaning and replacing their lens case regularly, in order to prevent contamination."