Development of Keratitis by Soft Contact Lenses Contaminated with Candida albicans

ABSTRACT

In order to study the development of fungal keratitis in wearing of the soft contact lenses contaminated with fungus in various conditions of the cornea, we contaminated the soft contact lenses with Candida albicans, and then placed them on the corneas in rabbits. The rabbits were divided into 4 groups(each 8 eyes). In group 1, dexamethasone was injected subconjunctivally once a day for 4 days and the corneal epithelium was removed 7mm in diameter. In group 2, dexamethasone was injected subconjunctivally once a day for 4 days without removal of the corneal epithelium. In group 3, the corneal epithelium was removed 7mm in diameter without subconjunctival injection of dexamethasone. In group 4, normal corneas were used as a control. The corneas were observed daily with slit-lamp. After 10 days, the infected corneas were examined with light microscope. Keratitis was developed in 5 eyes in group 1(5/8), 3 eyes in group 2(3/8), 2 eyes in group 3(2/8). But keratitis was not developed in group 4. Light microscopic examination showed active invasion of C, albicans forming pseudohyphae into the cornea associated with severe inflammation in group 1 and 2, but it showed mild inflammation and only a small number of C, albicans in the superficial cornea in group 3. In this study, it was found that immunosuppressed and de-epithelialized corneas are susceptible to C, albicans.