HAEMOPHILUS-INFLUENZAE ADHERENT TO CONTACT-LENSES ASSOCIATED WITH PRODUCTION OF ACUTE OCULAR INFLAMMATION

Ten episodes of adverse responses to contact lens wear, including cont act lens-induced acute red eye (GLARE), in which Haemophilus influenza e was isolated from contact lenses and/or from one of the external ocu lar sites at the time of the event, are described. All episodes occurr ed in patients wearing disposable hydrogel lenses on a 6-night extende d-wear schedule. Two of the patients had recurrent episodes. H. influe nzae was usually isolated in large numbers, and other bacteria or fung i colonizing the contact lens or the external ocular surface were usua lly present in low numbers. Those patients who were colonized with H. influenzae were more than 100 times as likely to have had a CLARE or i nfiltrative response than those subjects who were not colonized with t his bacterium. H. influenzae colonization of the contact lens and eye may be subsequent to colonization of the nasopharynx because four of t he seven patients presented with fever at the time of the event, with concurrent upper respiratory tract infection. Contact lens wearers sho uld be made aware of the potential risk of CLARE associated with the w earing of contact lenses for extended periods during and subsequent to upper respiratory tract infection.