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Patients with contact lens-related corneal infections report modifiable risk factors
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Over the past decade, contact lens wearers with corneal infections reported modifiable risk factors such as overuse and poor contact lens hygiene, according to a review of FDA records.
“Continued efforts to educate contact lens wearers about prevention of contact lens-related eye infections are needed,” Jennifer R. Cope, MD, MPH, medical epidemiologist in the Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases at the CDC, and colleagues wrote in MMWR.
Cope and colleagues searched the FDA’s Medical Device Report (MDR) database for contact lens-related reports that contained the terms “ulcer” or “keratitis” — words that reliably identify accounts of apparent microbial keratosis.
Among 1,075 MDRs between 2005 and 2015 that contained those terms — 86% of which were filed by contact lens manufacturers — 25.1% (n = 270) described modifiable risk factors known to be associated with contact lens-related corneal infections including keratitis.
The remainder of the reports did not provide details about risk factors, which was indicative of the passive surveillance system of MDRs — one of several drawbacks of the study that were noted by Cope and colleagues. A report in 2015, however, showed that more than 99% of the respondents in an online survey engaged inat least one risky behavior linked to eye infection.
Modifiable risk factors that can lead to contact lens-related corneal infections include extended wear of lenses, sleeping or napping while wearing lenses, wearing lenses while swimming and poor lens hygiene. Source:CDC
Modifiable risk factors in the current report included extended wear of lenses, sleeping or napping while wearing lenses, wearing lenses while swimming and poor lens hygiene, including storing them in tap water. The pathogens causing infection included Pseudomonas, Acanthamoeba, Fusarium and Staphylococcus spp.
Daily disposable lenses were associated with a much lower risk for infection than soft daily wear lenses.
Cope and colleagues emphasized the need for proper use and care of contact lenses to help prevent infections and urged contact lens wearers or eye care providers to file MDRs over problems with contact lenses or eye care products at http://www.fda.gov/medwatch.
The report was part of the CDC’s effort to promote Contact Lens Health Week, Aug. 22-26.
“Health promotion activities should focus on informing contact lens wearers of common behaviors that might put them at risk for eye infections, such as sleeping in contact lenses and exposing lenses to tap water, distilled water, or recreational water,” Cope and colleagues wrote. “Additionally, prompt reporting of adverse events can help FDA identify and understand the risks associated with the use of contact lenses.”
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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