Purpose: In our outpatient service the number of corneal infiltrates and ulcers associated with contact lens wear in young patients increased during the last years. Therefore we evaluated all patients with keratitis regarding to the reason.
Patients and methods: From January 1999 to August 2000 the medical charts of 210 consecutive patients and 239 eyes were reviewed. We evaluated the percentage of contact lens wearers. Patient age, localisation and number of infiltrates, bacteria and healing results were also evaluated.
Results: In 134 of 239 eyes (56%) keratitis was caused by contact lenses, 127 eyes (53%) with soft lenses. The mean age of soft contact lens wearing patients was 28,2 +/-13,0 years. Mean age in other reasons was 46,0 +/-22,5 years. 71% (170 eyes) had single central infiltrates, 19% (45 eyes) multiple peripheral infiltrates and 10% (24 eyes) corneal ulcers. Bacteria were found in 33% (78 eyes). The most frequent isolated bacteria in non contact lens induced keratitis was staphylococcus aureus (22 eyes). In those eyes with soft contact lenses we found mostly gram negative bacteria such as serratia spp. (6 eyes), pseudomonas spp. (6 eyes), stenotrophomonas maltophilia (6 eyes) and klebsiella oxytoca (5 eyes). 20% (26 of 127 eyes) of contact lens induced corneal infection healed with a scar.
Conclusion: Our analysis shows, that the major part of keratitis was induced by soft contact lenses. One fifth of these very young patients retained a corneal scar. There is a higher risk to suffer a keratitis when using soft contact lenses. This should influence especially patients information regarding choice and use of soft contact lenses.