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According to researchers at University College London, keratitis cases of the Acanthamoeba microorganism have almost tripled in southeastern England. Symptoms of infection include eye pain and reduced vision.
According to studies in Britain, about 2,000 people with contact lenses per 100,000 would be affected by the infection, while homes would be much lower in the United States, where one or two million people would wear contact lenses.
90% of these cases of keratitis in the UK are found in people wearing contact lenses, especially reusable. In addition, those who do not always wash their hands after touching the lenses, those who use antibacterial formulations containing Oxipol and those who wear the lenses in the pool or hot tub are also at greater risk. Another possible risk factor is washing and washing the face while wearing the lenses.
The infection is more common in areas where the water is hard, creating the ideal conditions for the development of the microorganism.
As John Dartt, an ophthalmologist, told CNN, it is one of the most serious eye infections, with long-standing symptoms in patients. It is curable, but according to Dart, in 30% of cases, the treatment lasts more than a year. Indeed, Acanthamoeba is very resistant to drugs.
Moreover, in the most severe cases, it can result in a permanent loss of 75% of the patient's vision, while one in four patients will need a corneal transplant to fully recover their vision.
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