Contact
lenses have been linked to the development of inflammatory eye conditions in
their wearers. Now a new study characterizes the microbiome of the eye, and
reports that there are distinct differences in the ocular microbiome of contact
lens wearers when compared to those who do not wear contacts.
The
researchers found that the eye microbiome of contact wearers is more similar to
the skin microbiome including high abundances of microbes like
methylobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Pseudomonas and lower abundances of microbes
like Streptococcus and Staphylococcus. Further study will be needed to
determine whether or not the microbes found in the eye microbiome of contact
lens wearers may put them at increased risk for eye infections.
Shin
H et al. Changes in the eye microbiota associated with contact lens wearing.
mBio
(2016) 7(2):e00198-16. doi:10.1128/mBio.00198-16.
Posted by Dr. Tim Sandle