A recent study reveals contact lens wearers face the huge risk of getting eye infection or inflammation. (Photo : REUTERS/David Gray)
Soft contact lenses, an innovation considered to improve vision, can actually disrupt the delicate balance of bacteria in the eyes. A new study presented at the annual assembly of the American Society for Microbiology revealed that putting on contact lenses can radically alter the microorganisms residing in the eyes.
Bacteria assaulting the eye can lead to infection, which can be quite troublesome. If left untreated, eye infection can lead to eye health deterioration and vision loss. The eyes harbor normal bacterial flora that can repel foreign invaders.
On the other hand, senior study investigator Maria Gloria Dominguez-Bello, Ph.D., disclosed an interesting finding after surveying 20 individuals. Messing with the delicate balance of eye microorganisms by inserting objects like a pair of contact lenses can lead to potentially serious infection.
Upon closer analysis, the researchers found that people who wear contact lens tend to have thrice the typical proportion of certain bacterial strains that bring on diseases as compared to the good bacteria. Higher disease-carrying microorganisms in the eye set the stage for the development of inflammatory conditions.
This raises alarm bells for those who have been wearing contact lens for many years now as they have more microbes accumulated with the passage of time, The Washington Post reported.
In other news, Bello's co-investigator Dr. Jack Dodick surmised that bacteria emanating from the environment and contaminating skin, called pseudomonas, may be the culprit for the proliferation of eye disorders like corneal ulcer. This has been on the rise since soft contact lenses wended their way into the marketplace, News Medical reported.
Bello and her associates at the New York University Langone Medical Center have yet to find conclusive evidence on what exactly alters the eye microbiome. It may possibly be the fingers getting in contact with the eye, or the pressure placed in the eye when inserting contact lenses.
These reports underscore the importance of good hygiene even in lens application. To eliminate any hassle, people with vision problems can always opt to wear fashionable eyeglasses that work double-duty.
