Burkholderia cepacia bilateral microbial keratitis and tinted contact lens wearers

Burkholderia cepacia bilateral microbial keratitis is an eye infection.It occurs in the cornea and is caused by the presence of bacteria.As explained in an article published in the Journal of Optometry, “[b] Bacterial keratitis is a serious, potentially blinding complication that most often involves nighttime contact lens wear.” More specifically Said that, in recent years, bilateral microbial keratitis has been associated with the use of tinted contact lenses.
Colored contact lenses cover the iris (the colored part of the eye), and they are sold both over the counter and over the counter.They are popular as a replacement for clear contact lenses, as well as for fashion and vacation use.Unfortunately, while colored contact lenses are growing in popularity, especially among teens and young adults, our Florida product liability attorneys know that wearing colored contact lenses can expose many people to Burkholderia cepacia. Risk of bilateral microbial keratitis.

Color Contact Lenses

“Complications associated with the use of cosmetic contact lenses are similar to those associated with the use of conventional contact lenses. Of these, contact lens-related microbial keratitis is the most feared complication. Microbial keratitis can be a visually devastating disease , and are associated with significant personal and societal costs….[A] Case-control study shows that people who wear cosmetic contact lenses have a 16.5-fold increased risk of infection compared to wearers who wear lenses for refractive correction. ”
Why are tinted contact lenses more closely associated with Burkholderia cepacia bilateral microbial keratitis than clear lenses worn for corrective purposes?An article published in the journal Eye points to several potential reasons.This includes lens-related, dispensing and patient factors:
In many cases, it is a combination of factors that ultimately lead to infections in tinted contact lens wearers.For example, an article in the Cureus publication discusses the case of a 19-year-old woman diagnosed with bilateral microbial keratitis from Burkholderia cepacia.The article concluded that her diagnosis was likely the result of all three categories of factors:
“She owns several samples of colour cosmetics [contact lenses] and has not received advice from the clinic about wearing them. She has also not received any instructions for lens care. As a result, her lens care method is inappropriate and she is not cleaning Lenses and lens case. Also, she never changed the [Multi-Purpose Solution (MPS)] in the lens case. As for MPS, the effect diminishes over time. Anyway, such careless lens wearing and maintenance is Proven to be a risk factor, mechanical stimulation of the cornea due to improper wearing disrupts epithelial barrier function and is thought to contribute to Bacillus cepacia infection.”
To understand the link between colored contact lenses and Burkholderia cepacia bilateral microbial keratitis, it is also important to understand the nature of the B. cepacia bacteria.As Cureus’ article explains, “B. cepacia prefers moist environments. . . [and] show high viability and resistance to sterilization and sanitizing solutions. Because of the interior of the [contact lens] case when storing the lenses It’s always wet, and even with sterilized lens care agents, this microbe can grow in the box.”
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) generally acknowledges the link between contact lenses and bacterial keratitis infections.The CDC also lists a number of other factors that may increase a patient’s risk of developing bacterial keratitis from contact lens use.These factors include:
While some cases of Burkholderia cepacia bilateral microbial keratitis are due to inadequate maintenance and care by patients of their contact lenses, our Florida product liability attorneys know that many cases are caused by problems with the contact lenses themselves. caused.In fact, even if the patient takes due care, this is not necessarily enough to prevent bacteria from growing in the patient’s lens and causing an infection.

Color Contact Lenses
Also, many patients don’t know how to care for their lenses because they don’t get enough counseling.Optometrists and other clinicians cannot assume that patients know how to care for their lenses—especially tinted lenses with unique risks and unique care requirements.