Increased Pseudomonas aeruginosa adhesion following air drying of etafilcon A soft contact lenses.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine the changes in bacterial adhesion resulting from air-drying soft contact lenses.


METHODS
An in vitro study was conducted on four sets of identical, unworn etafilcon A soft contact lenses, air-dried for varying periods of time. These lenses were placed in a bacterial suspension, rinsed, ground, and plated in order to determine bacterial adhesion.


RESULTS
The increased bacterial adhesion to these high water content, ionic lenses was statistically significant following five minutes of drying. Reversal of the effect was noted after rehydration.


CONCLUSIONS
Soft contact lens drying results in increased bacterial adhesion.
John
G
G
Department of Ophthalmology/Visual Sciences, University of Louisville School of Medicine, KY 40202, USA.
Shields
M
M
Austin
F
F
McGinnis
S
S
D000388:Air; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000502:physiology*; D003263:Contact Lenses, Hydrophilic / Q000382:microbiology*; D008689:Methacrylates; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors
D008689:Methacrylates; C114176:etafilcon