Species of parasites

Wearing contact lenses when swimming, or not cleanliness is an opportunity for this tiny parasite to colonize and corrode the cornea.

Close-up of parasites "sleeping and sleeping" on contact lenses

With many young people being nearsighted, owning a pair of contact lenses is no longer strange. The convenience, the fashion has turned this contact lenses into "non-relatives" of some friends. However, not everyone knows the potential dangers this glasses bring.

There are many cases that have been reported on the use of contaminated glass that harms the eyes . The most recent case was recorded by Jessica Greaney (18 years) from University of Nottingham (England).

Picture of Jessica Greaney with one eye infected with parasites.

She had to undergo eye drops every 10 minutes for 7 consecutive days after doctors discovered a creature whose scientific name is Acanthamoeba castellanii "eat, sleep" in the eyes of the young girl.

So what is the truth about this parasite, is it a potential enemy to people who harm the cornea in your eyes. The following article will help you better understand them.

Acanthamoeba castellanii is a creature found popular among ecosystems worldwide. Recent reports show that this creature resides heavily in soil, tap water, sea water, dust, rivers and lakes or swimming pools, especially sticking and sticking on contact lenses.

This single-celled parasite is very small, about 15 to 35 micrometers long, oval in motion. Usually, A. castellanii parasites will depend on how they eat bacteria - the bacteria commonly found in dirty contact lenses.

A. castellanii's biological and developmental cycle.

A. castellanii enters the body through the eyes, nose and throat, respiratory tract, contact lenses, or wounds with skin ulcers on the body .

After staying in the body, they will fatten themselves by eating bacteria that exist in the eyes of contact lenses, open wounds.

If A. castellanii "gets " into the body through the respiratory tract , they will invade the connective tissue, gradually reaching the central nervous system through the circulatory system.

This attack will make patients more susceptible to amyloid (granulomatous amebic encephalitis - GAE) encephalitis or systemic infections. At the same time, A. castellanii will cause patients to have a weakened immune system, severe cerebral edema, leading to death.

Due to the permanent contact with dirty contact lenses, A. castellanii is easy to penetrate the eye if the user does not clean the glass carefully.

In addition, contact lenses can also be infected by contact with swimming water, hot tubs, splashes of water in the eyes, or as a result of poor personal hygiene. Inadequate disinfection regime has partly boosted the growth of parasites attached to glasses.

When wearing contact lenses contaminated with A. castellanii, they will begin to attack, corrode the cornea, the outer layer of the eyeball and proliferate.

Some studies show that, in less than a day wearing glasses, this type of amoeba has gnawed on 70 optic nerves.

The consequences of A. castellanii's visit are symptoms of itchy eyes, watery eyes, blurred vision, light sensitivity, swelling of the eyes, and eye pain.

More dangerous, A. castellanii will corrode eyeballs, resulting in permanent vision loss. Therefore, when you use contact lenses that your eyes are swollen, inflamed, itchy, painful or have a lot of tears, remove contact lenses immediately and see a doctor. The right and timely treatment will help you avoid regretful consequences later.

A few small tips for you to use contact lenses often:

1. Do not wear contact lenses for too long, especially when sleeping, while swimming.
2. Do not place the glass in a high temperature place, dry or near a fire, causing the contact lens to be deformed.
3. Do not use tap water or homemade solutions to moisten the glass, instead using sterile artificial fluid to clean and moisten.
4. Should not be cheap, buy floating glasses on the market, colorful glasses that use prescription glasses and have careful advice from doctors.