Acanthamoeba keratitis is an uncommon but potentially devastating complication of contact lens wear. We present a case of Acanthamoeba keratitis in a soft-contact-lens wearer successfully treated with long-term medical therapy and penetrating keratoplasty. To our knowledge this is the first case of Acanthamoeba keratitis diagnosed in Canada.

A 16-year-old girl presented with contact lens intolerance. She was found to have a marked deficiency of meibomian glands in the upper lids and almost total absence in the lower lids. Evidence of tear film instability was found and attributed to deficient lid oil production. A daily wear soft contact lens was later fitted and tolerated.

Tear exchange beneath a contact lens facilitates ongoing fluid replenishment between the ocular surface and the lens. This exchange is considerably lower during the wear of soft lenses compared with rigid lenses. As a result, the accumulation of tear film debris and metabolic by-products between the cornea and a soft contact lens increases, potentially leading to complications. Lens design inno...

Methods: Patient records were identified from a specialty contact lens practice. Data were obtained from myopic patients who were prescribed Ortho-K wear. Demographic data at baseline included age at commencement of Ortho-K and ethnicity. Clinical data recorded at baseline and at years 1, 2 and 3 included subjective refraction, corneal topography, corneal curvature, axial length, pupil size, an...