Morphology and Ultrastructure of Microorganisms on Soft Contact Lens :Scanning Electron Microscopic Study

ABSTRACT

In order to examine the morphology and ultrastructure of contaminated soft contact lens by scanning electron microscopy, soft contact lenses were contaminated with P.aeruginosa, S.aureus, S.epidermidis and C .albicans. After incubation of soft contact lens in P.aeruginosa suspension for 60 minutes, a number of P.aeruginosa, S.aureus and S.epidermidis were attached to soft contact lens and amorphous materials covering the some of the soft contact lens surface were observed. Also, C.albicans attached to soft contact lens, looking like healthy and the fine fibrillar material covered the surface of soft contact lens and interconnected between cell walls of C.albicans at 14 days after contamination. Soft contact lens may provide a suitable environment for microorganisms that they could attach and proliferate. And microoragisms themselves secreted amorphous materials to protect them from the outside and promote the proliferation. So, contaminated soft contact lens may play a role as pathogen to the cornea.