Giant papillary conjunctivitis A clinical, bacteriological and cytological study

ABSTRACT

Giant papillary conjunctivitis [GPC] is one of the most important complications of soft contact lenses [SCL] wear. Twenty cases [37 eyes] of GPC associated with soft contact lens were examined thoroughly using slit lamp biomicroscopy with high magnification, 2% sodium fluorescein eye drops and cobalt blue light. Cultures from conjunctival cul de sac and cytological examination of conjunctival scrapings were performed. The severity of GPC was found to be related to duration of lens wear, chemical method of disinfection and the presence of deposits on the lenses. The cultures were sterile in 94.5% of cases. The non-sterile cultures showed the presence of Proteus, Stap. epidermidis and diphtheroids. Few polymorphonuclear of sterile cultures proved that this inflammatory condition was not due to bacterial infection, while the presence of eosinophils proved its allergic nature