Rare Disease Day
Acanthamoeba Keratitis: A rare condition that affects contact lens wearers
Today as it is the International Rare Disease Day, we are going to put out some information about a Disease caused
by the Amebae
Acanthamoeba, called Acanthamoeba Keratitis and what you should do to avoid it. This organism is easily found everywhere in the world, and it likes to live in the soil, dust and all sources of water (sea, rivers, hot springs, lakes, marsh, etc). This Amabae
causes an infection in your cornea called Acanthamoeba Keratitis and, although rare, because it likes to live in water sources, it is more common to find it in among Contact Lens Wearers.
Why does it mainly affect Contact Lens wearers?
Unfortunately some patients are not aware of the dangers that might come from improper handling. Using tap water to clean or store contact lenses or having poor contact lens hygiene increases the risk of infection. Examples of poor lens care are:
- Not using disinfection solutions properly or at all;
- Reusing the solution in the contact lens case;
- Failing to empty and dry the contact lens case after use;
- Storing lenses in water overnight;
- Use Saline Solution to store them;
- When they fall on the floor or anywhere that might contain bacteria, not disinfecting them before putting them back in the eyes.
Wearing contact lenses when swimming or taking a shower also increases the risk, so does putting lenses in with your hands wet from tap water.
Buying contacts online, costume stores, etc, might also increase your chances to develop this infection, as this places will not worry about storing contact lenses properly (humid spaces with no ventilation, wet boxes, direct exposure to the weather conditions, etc).
In the UK it is forbidden to supply Contact Lenses without a Eye Examination & Contact Lens check-up in date. This prevents you from buying something that might not be compatible with your eyes anymore, prescription and material wise. Contact Lenses are always changing parameters and materials, for the patients safety and comfort.
If you want to start wearing contact lenses, please consult a professional first. Opticians will advise you on the prescription, they will teach you how to put them on and take them off and they will explain how to handle them according to the type of contact lenses you need (dailies, monthly's, RGP's, etc).
At Care Optics we provide Eye Examinations and Contact Lens Checks, and we work with the better contact lens Companies to ensure your safety comes first. If you want to start wearing contact lenses or you just need a new check-up, make sure to contact us so we can book that appointment for you. We will be more than happy to help!
Care Optics - Eye Care, We Care
