Posters

Contact lens hygiene recommendations, are patients still in the dark?

Poster Details

First Author: C.MacGregor UK

Co Author(s):    M. Tsatsos   D. Anderson   P. Hossain              

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To determine the level of contact lens hygiene awareness amongst contact lens wearers and whether contact lens hygiene attitude was related to severity of keratitis.

Setting:

Southampton University Hospitals, UK.

Methods:

Prospective study of 50 consecutive contact lens wearers. A validated questionnaire was completed detailing contact lens hygiene practices and recall of advice previously received. Contact lens type (monthly, two-weekly, daily and extended day and night wear), source of contact lens purchase, presenting vision and 2-day follow up vision were identified. Patients were sub-divided into risk behavior groups (low, medium and high).

Results:

32 women,16 men. 25 patients were diagnosed with corneal ulcer. 21 patients had non-infiltrative keratitis and 4 patients had a corneal abrasion. 44% patients of patients with corneal ulcer were in the high-risk group, 48% and 8% patients were in the medium and low risk group respectively. Visual acuity (VA) significantly improved post treatment, mean pre-treatment VA 0.24 LogMar, mean post-treatment VA 0.09 Logmar (p = 0.02). In the medium and low risk groups, there was a statistically significant improvement in VA post treatment (p=0.02). In the high-risk group post treatment VA improvement did not show statistical significance (p =0.07).

Conclusions:

Our study highlights the need to improve contact lens hygiene awareness and influence hygiene practices. Patients with the poorest contact lens hygiene had a slower visual recovery and greater incidence of corneal ulcer. Contact lens hygiene advice needs to be clear and reinforced over time.

Financial Disclosure:

NONE