Contact lenses may alter eye bacteria

Contact lenses may alter the natural microbial community of the eyes and increase the risk of infections, a new study has warned.

Researchers studied 58 adults seeking outpatient eye care and found that contact lenses make the eye microbiome more skin-like, with high proportions of skin bacteria. “It is unclear how these changes occur, if these bacteria are transferred from the fingers to the lens and to the eye surface, or if the lenses exert selective pressures on the eye bacterial community in favour of skin bacteria,” said Maria Dominguez-Bello from New York University.

“Wearing contact lenses has been identified as a risk factor for the development of eye infections such as giant papillary conjunctivitis and keratitis, so these questions are important,” she said.

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