Outbreak of eye infection in contact lens wearers ‘threatens to leave you blind’
Contact lens wearers are the most at risk because they are more likely to accidentally contaminate their eye
AN outbreak of a rare eye infection could send contact lens wearers blind, a new report found.
Cases of the preventable bacterial infection have risen three-fold in the south east of England since 2011, according to experts from Moorfields Eye Hospital in London.
Those who wear reuseable contact lenses are most at risk of the infection acanthamoeba keratitis, a bacterial infection that causes the surface of the eye, called the cornea, to become painful and inflamed.
Contact lens wearers are more at risk because they are most likely to have used a contact lens solution that doesn't clean them effectively, or may have contaminated their lenses with water.
Lead author Professor John Dart said: "This infection is still quite rare, usually affecting 2.5 in 100,000 contact lens users per year in South East England, but it's largely preventable.
"This increase in cases highlights the need for contact lens users to be aware of the risks."
Around a quarter of those infected with the bug are left with just 25 per cent vision or totally blind once the infection clears up.
Overall, a quarter need corneal transplants to treat the infection or restore vision.
Contact lens wearers are the most at risk, but anyone can be affected.
Prof Dart and his colleagues collected data from patients at Moorfields between 1985 and 2016.
They found an increase between 2000-2003, when there were eight to 10 cases per year.
That has since risen to between 36-65 annual cases in the past few years.
Moorfields treats more than one in three cases of the disease in the UK, leading researchers to suspect cases across the UK have also risen.
To investigate further, researchers compared those who wear contact lenses diagnosed with the infection and those who visited hospital for other reasons.
Some 213 people were involved in the study, with 63 diagnosed with acanthamoeba keratitis.
They were asked to fill out a short questionnaire on how they use their lenses.
The risk of developing the infection was three times higher among those with poor lens hygiene, like not letting their hands dry properly before handling them, or those who used disinfectants that aren't considered effective.
Wearing your contact lenses in swimming pools or hot tubs and showering also puts you at risk.
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"People who wear reusable contact lenses need to make sure they thoroughly wash and dry their hands before handling contact lenses, and avoid wearing them while swimming, face washing or bathing," Prof Dart said.
"Daily disposable lenses, which eliminate the need for contact lens cases or solutions, may be safer and we are currently analysing our data to establish the risk factors for these."
Irenie Ekkeshis, who is part of acanthamoeba keratitis Patient Support Group UK, added: "This research confirms what those of us affected by acanthamoeba keratitis have suspected for some time: that incidences of this awful, life-changing infection are on the increase, and there's more that should be done to prevent people from losing their sight to acanthamoeba keratitis.
"It is absolutely imperative that regulators and those working in the optical sector take the findings seriously, and use the recommendations to take immediate and urgent action on prevention.
"Contact lenses are medical devices and should be supplied with warnings regarding safe use."
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