Nation-wide Survey for Acanthamoeba from Contact Lens Care Systems in Korea

In order to determine the contamination status of contact lens care system by Acanthamoeba, a nation-wide survey was carried out for the detection of amoeba from the storage cases and contact lenses solution of 739 asymptomatic lens wearers (238 male and 501 female). Subjects consisted of 280 residents in Youngnam, 270 in Honam, and 189 in Chungbu provinces. Acanthamoeba was demonstrated from 141 (19.1%) lens care systems. No significant difference of contamination status was observed between male (19.7%) and female (18.8). However, the contamination rate from Honam province (28.1%) were significnatly higher than those from Youngnam (16.1%) and Chungbu (10.6%) provinces. The isolation rate for Acanth-amoeba was higher in systems of daily wear soft lens (20.0%), extended wear soft lens (23.1), and hard lens (18.8%) than in system of disposable lens. The contamination rate was the higher in the sysems using chemical disinfection alone (19.8%) for disinfection. The contamination rate in systems of combined disinfection with chemicals and intermittent boiling ranged 7.0% to 8.3%, and it was different according to the boiling frequency a week. More attention should be paid to hygeneic maintenance of contact lens care system for the prevention of contact lens-related Acanthamoeba keratitis.

Microbial Contamination of Contact Lens Storage Cases in Contact Lens-induced Keratitis Patients

In order to evaluate the microbial contamination of contact lens cases in patients with contact lens-induced keratitis, 27 contact lens storage cases were collected and their solutions were cultured. Of 27 contact lens cases, 25%(93%) showed microbial contamination, Four contact lens cases(15%) were contaminated by single species., 14 contact lens cases(52%) by two species. and 9 contact lens cases(33%) by more than three species. Of total 36 identified microorganisms, the most commonly cultured microorganism was Pseudomonas sp.. Other G(-) bacteria such as Serratia, Enterobacter and Acanthamoeba were also cultured. Based on data from this study, most contact lens cases of patients with contact lens=induced keraititis were contaminated with multiple microorganisms. When considering the high contamination rate of contact lens cases and its causative factor in development of keratitis, proper disinfection of contact lens cases can not be overemphasized. Therefore, ophthalmologists should continue patient education for proper care of contact lens, especially disinfection of contact lens cases.