title: Contact Lens Wearer Demographics and Risk Behaviors for Contact Lens-Related Eye Infections--United States, 2014.
abstract: Contact lenses provide safe and effective vision correction for many Americans. However, contact lens wearers risk infection if they fail to wear, clean, disinfect, and store their contact lenses as directed. Over the past decade, CDC has investigated several multistate outbreaks of serious eye infections among contact lens wearers, including Acanthamoeba keratitis. Each investigation identified frequent contact lens hygiene-related risk behaviors among patients. To guide prevention efforts, a population-based survey was used to estimate the number of contact lens wearers aged ≥18 years in the United States. A separate online survey of contact lens wearers assessed the prevalence of contact lens hygiene-related risk behaviors. Approximately 99% of wearers reported at least one contact lens hygiene risk behavior. Nearly one third of contact lens wearers reported having experienced a previous contact lens-related red or painful eye requiring a doctor's visit. An estimated 40.9 million U.S. adults wear contact lenses, and many could be at risk for serious eye infections because of poor contact lens wear and care behaviors. These findings have informed the creation of targeted prevention messages aimed at contact lens wearers such as keeping all water away from contact lenses, discarding used disinfecting solution from the case and cleaning with fresh solution each day, and replacing their contact lens case every 3 months.
authors: Jennifer R
authors: JR
authors: Cope
authors: Sarah A
authors: SA
authors: Collier
authors: Maya M
authors: MM
authors: Rao
authors: Robin
authors: R
authors: Chalmers
authors: G Lynn
authors: GL
authors: Mitchell
authors: Kathryn
authors: K
authors: Richdale
authors: Heidi
authors: H
authors: Wagner
authors: Beth T
authors: BT
authors: Kinoshita
authors: Dawn Y
authors: DY
authors: Lam
authors: Luigina
authors: L
authors: Sorbara
authors: Aaron
authors: A
authors: Zimmerman
authors: Jonathan S
authors: JS
authors: Yoder
authors: Michael J
authors: MJ
authors: Beach
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003261:Contact Lenses / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000523:psychology*; D003625:Data Collection; D015817:Eye Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult