Millions of contact lens wearers are at risk from an eye-devouring amoeba that can cause blindness, experts have warned. Acanthamoeba is abundant in tap water as well as rivers, ponds and lakes. It can infect anyone who fails to clean their lenses properly, or keeps them in a dirty case, yet few people are aware of the parasite, and the condition it causes is often diagnosed wrongly or missed.
Each year in the UK doctors treat around 75 people infected with acanthamoeba. The number is small, but anyone unlucky enough to pick up the organism is in for an unpleasant experience. Acanthamoeba sticks to contact lenses and burrows its way through the cornea, causing acute pain. It feeds on bacteria and the corneal tissue.
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The fear apparently has spread to the U.S. Read the CBS News affiliate story. By the way the acanthamoeba was the subject of a presentation by Linda Conlin at recent OpticalCEU continuing education seminars for opticians.
Acanthamoeba is indeed a real threat. Our eye surgery Discount LASIK NJ treats several people with Acanthamoeba every year and more and more each year.
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