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Eye health Soft contact lens Molds can destroy the eye
A recent preliminary study showed that soft contact lenses increase the risk of developing dangerous fungal infections in the eye. In this regard, ophthalmologists point to strict hygiene rules.
Who uses soft contact lenses, should strictly adhere to the hygiene rules - otherwise it can lead to dangerous fungal infections on the eye. Physicians point to this as the "week of fungal diseases". A recent preliminary investigation underlines the warning.
(Image: Pavel Chernobrivets / fotolia.com) Strong eye redness and pain are in the beginning
If you disregard the rules of hygiene when dealing with soft contact lenses, there is a great danger: Molds can contaminate the lenses and infect the cornea of the eye. The affected people notice this mostly by a strong redness of the eye, sometimes considerable pain and a deterioration in vision.
- Put soft contact lenses in the container with the storage liquid in a sunny, warm window seat? Difficult.
- Use the storage solution or the rinsing fluid for economy several times or longer than prescribed? questionable.
- Simply use contact lenses that you want to wear for a day or a week longer than intended? Risky.
"Unlike many other fungal infections, young, healthy patients are often affected here," says Professor Oliver Kurzai, who holds the only department in Germany for medical microbiology and mycology (the study of fungal diseases) at the University of Würzburg. Kurzai also heads the National Reference Center for Invasive Fungal Infections based in Jena.
The treatment of such an infection on the eye is difficult, because often the fungi are resistant to the available drugs. The consequences can be dramatic: Very often, corneal transplants are needed, in bad cases the last resort is to surgically remove the infected eye and replace it with a glass eye.
Data published in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology
For the first time Germany has data on corneal infections caused by fungi. Kurzai's team published it at the end of July 2017 with partners from all over Germany in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology. A clear result: "The most important risk factor is the wearing of soft contact lenses," said the Würzburg professor.
For the study, a total of 22 cases reported by ophthalmologists to the National Register of Fungal Ceramics (Fungal Mushroom) were analyzed. The register has only existed since the beginning of 2016, it was set up by the National Reference Center for Invasive Fungal Infections and the Eye Clinic of the University Hospital Düsseldorf.
In their analyzes, the experts have identified various fungi of the genus Fusarium as the cause of the infections. "15 of the 22 cases were clearly infections with these molds," says Kurzai. In nine patients, corneal transplants were necessary, in three the eye had to be surgically removed. The remaining seven of the 22 patients had either bacterial or other, more harmless causes.
Ophthalmologists should report cases of infection to the registry
From a statistical point of view, 22 cases are an insufficient database. "We therefore urge all ophthalmologists to send as many samples of suspected cases to the fungal keratitis registry as possible, so that the database is getting better and better," says Kurzai. "With the help of the registry, we want to analyze, among other things, which therapies are particularly successful and which pathogens we are dealing with."
Global "Week of Fungal Diseases" proclaimed
The appeal to the ophthalmologists to launch the medical professionals on the occasion of the first proclaimed "Fungal Disease Awareness Week" (14-18 August 2017). With this week, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) based in Atlanta (USA ) increase international attention for severe fungal infections.
The CDC points out that many fungal infections worldwide are detected too late or not at all. At the same time, the pathogens of the infections are changing, and the development of resistance in more and more cases makes efficient treatment difficult.
(Fusarium Keratitis in Germany, Walther G, Stasch S, Kaerger K, Hamprecht A, Roth M, Cornely OA, Geerling G, Mackenzie CR, Kurzai O, by Lilienfeld-Toal M. J Clin Microbiol 2017 Jul 26. pii: JCM .00649-17.doi: 10.1128 / JCM.00649-17. Epub ahead of print, PMID: 28747368)