ABSTRACT
Free-living amoebae [FLA] including Acanthamoeba spp. and Hartmannella spp. are the causative agents of serious corneal infection especially within contact lens wearers. Thus contact lenses and their storage case could be a suitable niche for potentially pathogenic amoebae. The main objective of the present study was to evaluate the contamination of contact lenses to free living amoebae using morphological and sequencing based methods. Overall, 90 volunteers provided their contact lenses. All volunteers wore soft contact lenses. Both lenses were cultured in the same plate. Forty-eight of the volunteers were medical and dentistry student and 42 were ophthalmology attendees of hospitals in Tehran, Iran. All of the samples were inoculated to non-nutrient medium and monitored daily for the outgrowth of the amoebae. PCR and sequencing were performed using various primer pairs. Of the 90 volunteers, 9 [10%] were positive for free-living amoebae outgrowth. Morphological analysis revealed that 3 isolates were belonged to Hartmannella genus according to small round cysts and 6 isolates were belonged to Acanthamoeba genus based on the star shape of endocysts. Sequencing revealed that Acanthamoeba belonged to T4, T3 and T5 genotype. Hartmannella were also belonged to vermiformis species. The presence of potentially pathogenic free living amoebae including Acanthamoeba and Hartmannella could be a high risk for people using soft contact lenses. These results revealed that improved clarification and professional recommendations for contact lens wearers is of utmost importance
ABSTRACT
Poor hygiene will provide good condition for corneal infections by opportunistic free-living amoebae [FLA] in soft contact lens wearers. In the present study an amoebic keratitis due to Hartmannella has been recognized in a 22-year-old girl with a history of improper soft contact lens use. She had unilateral keratitis on her left eye. Her clinical signs were eye pain, redness, blurred vision and photophobia. The round cysts of free-living amoebae were identified in non-nutrient agar medium by light microscopy. These cysts were suspected to be Hartmannella using morphological criteria. A PCR assay has been confirmed that the round cysts were belonged to H. vermiformis
ABSTRACT
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the Artisan Phakic Intraocular Lens [PIOL] for the correction of high myopia. In this prospective study of 22 eyes of 14 patients with high myopia, Artisan PIOLs [Ophtec BV] were implanted. Uncorrected visual acuity [UCVA], best corrected visual acuity [BCVA], refraction, astigmatism, safety, and predictability were analyzed. The mean of preoperative spherical equivalent was -11.1 +/- 3.3 D. An Artisan myopia lens was implanted in 28 eyes of 14 patients with preoperative myopia ranging from -6.0 to -20.0 D. The mean of patient age was 22.7 +/- 4.3 years. At three months follow-up, all eyes had a postoperative refraction within +/- 1 D emmetropia. Mean uncorrected visual acuity improved from less than 20/200 to 20/50, and mean best corrected visual acuity improved from 20/39 to 20/30. The mean endothelial cell loss was 4.45% at three months, which was not significant. Postoperative complications included anterior chamber reaction in 10 [45%] patients that resolved with medical treatment in all of them. No other serious complications developed in any of the treated eyes during follow-up period. Artisan PIOLs can correct moderate to high myopia with good refractive results. There were no serious complications in this study
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Iris , Phakic Intraocular Lenses , Prospective Studies , Refraction, OcularABSTRACT
· We report successful treatment of a case of fungal keratitis caused by Pseudallescheria boydii with minimal corneal scar. A 71-year-old woman with history of pain, redness and foreign body sensation presented to our tertiary eye center. Initial corneal scraping revealed fungal elements. After two days fungal culture became positive, and after five days it was shown to be growth of Pseudallescheria boydii. The patient achieved clinical cures with medical therapy alone with minimal corneal scar and good visual outcome of 3/10.