Reduce the risk of Acanthamoeba Keratitis‬

To reduce the risk of Acanthamoeba Keratitis‬, certain necessary preventive steps should be followed, like;
-->Visit the ‪Eye Doctor‬ for regular eye examinations.
-->Wear and replace Contact Lenses‬ according to the schedule prescribed by the Eye Doctor
-->Remove Contact Lenses before any activity involving contact with water, including showering, using a hot tub, or swimming.
-->Wash hands with soap and water and dry before handling Contact Lenses
-->Clean Contact Lenses according to instructions from the Eye Doctor and the manufacturer's guidelines.
-->Use fresh cleaning or disinfecting solution each time lenses are cleaned and stored.
-->Never use saline solution or rewetting drops to disinfect lenses.
-->Be sure to clean, rub, and rinse the lenses each time of removal.
-->Store reusable lenses in the proper storage case.
-->Replace storage cases at least once every three months.

Contact Lenses users should consult the Eye Doctor, if they have any of the following symptoms: eye pain or redness, blurred vision, sensitivity to light, sensation of something in the eye, or excessive tearing.
It is better to stay preventive than affected.

Medical therapy for ‪‎Acanthamoeba Infection‬

Medical therapy for ‪‎Acanthamoeba Infection‬ is not well established. Early diagnosis and treatment are paramount for improving outcome.Successful treatment of ‪Keratitis‬ consists of early diagnosis and aggressive surgical and medical therapies.
Medical treatment consists of topical ‪Antimicrobial Agents‬, which can achieve high concentrations at the site of the infection.
These topical ‪Antimicrobials‬ are administered every hour immediately after the first several days of therapy. These agents are then continued hourly during waking hours for 3 days. The frequency is then reduced to every 3 hours. Two weeks may be required before a response is observed, and the total duration of therapy is a minimum of 3-4 weeks. Some advocate treating for 6-12 months. When therapy is discontinued, close observation is warranted to rule out recurrent disease.

Symptoms of Acanthamoeba Keratitis

Symptoms of Acanthamoeba Keratitis include Red Eyes and Eye Pain after removing your Contact Lenses, Tearing, Light Sensitivity, Blurred Vision and a feeling that something is in your eye, similar to those of Pink Eye and other Eye Infections.
Diagnosis of Keratitis often occurs once, it is determined that the condition is resistant to antibiotics used to manage other infections. A "ring-like" ulceration of your corneal tissue may also occur.
Causes that increase the risk of contracting Acanthamoeba Keratitis include using contaminated tap or well water on Contact Lenses, using homemade solutions to store and clean Contacts, wearing Contact Lenses in a hot tub and swimming or showering while wearing lenses. A dirty lens case also can be a source of Acanthamoeba Infection. Acanthamoeba can be killed easily, especially when rubbed off the lens surface during cleaning. In the end, good contact lens hygiene is the best way to prevent Acanthamoeba Keratitis. Acanthamoeba Keratitis can also cause permanent vision loss or require a corneal transplant to recover lost vision.

Are you a contact lens user, make sure that they are handled with care..

Acanthamoeba Keratitis‬ is a rare disease in which Amoebae‬ invade the cornea of the eye and it can lead to permanent visual impairment or blindness. The condition was first diagnosed in 1973, with about 90 percent of cases involving ‪Contact Lens‬ wearers. ‪Acanthamoeba‬ are naturally occurring ‪Amoeba‬ (tiny, one-celled animals) commonly found in water sources, such as tap water, well water, hot tubs, and soil and sewage systems. If these tiny parasites infect the eye, Acanthamoeba Keratitis can be caused. Acanthamoeba Keratitis is extremely difficult to treat; in fact, sometimes these infections require a ‪Corneal Transplant‬, which is a serious surgical procedure. To avoid Acanthamoeba Keratitis, be sure to carefully follow the ‪Lens Care‬, handling and wearing instructions you receive from your eye doctor. Proper Contact Lens care greatly reduces the risk of all contact lens-related eye infections, including those caused by Acanthamoeba.