Syphilis Related Eye Infections are Rising Fast

Eye specialists have warned of a resurgence in syphilis-related eye infections as cases of the sexually-transmitted disease escalate in gay communities.

Ophthalmologists say they are treating growing numbers of men who present with painful, red eyes or hazy vision caused by syphilis infection.

Homosexual men are most commonly affected, with infectious disease experts predicting the epidemic will spread through gay communities nationwide with time.

Fewer than 10 per cent of people who catch the disease develop symptoms in their eyes, causing redness, pain, light sensitivity and loss of vision.

But in those who do, 25 per cent will have no other symptoms of the syphilis and therefore often have no idea they have the debilitating condition.

Syphilis notifications rose more than 20-fold in inner-Sydney between 1999 and 2003 - from six cases to 162.

Victorian statistics show there were only two notifications of syphilis in 1999, but annual reports had ballooned to 238 by 2006. There were almost 80 cases in the first three months of 2007, showing numbers are rising further.

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Contact Solution Linked to Nasty Eye Infection Acanthamoeba Keratitis

Beware contact lens wearers. If you’re using AMO Complete Moisture Plus Multi-Purpose Solution, be aware that it’s been linked to a rare eye infection.

Government officials from the CDC and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are looking into 138 confirmed cases, and in the meantime, it is recommended that anyone using the solution throw the bottle away, along with your lenses and contacts case. All three of these may contain the infecting amoeba.

The solution is apparently a factor in the occurrence of a nasty infection called Acanthamoeba keratitis. It is a painful eye infection which can lead to serious problems such as permanent vision loss and total blindness. Advanced Medical Optics Inc., the company that makes the solution, has issued a “voluntary recall.” Confirmed cases have been reported as far back as January of 2005.

Eighty-five percent of Acanthamoeba keratitis cases are in contact users, but normally it's extremely unusual. However, even contact users who are conscientious about their lens care can contract it, as well as non-contact wearers.

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You Need to be Careful While Wearing Contact Lens

While wearing contact lenses and you run the risk of getting an eye infection. That's why you need to be careful how you handle them.

Good hygiene means always washing your hands - with soap and warm water and then drying them with a clean towel - before you touch your lenses or your eyes.

Wear and replace the lenses according to the schedule prescribed by your doctor.

You should remove contact lenses before any activity involving contact with water, such as showering, swimming or going into a hot tub.

Dr. Robert Teiche, an optometrist at Virginia Mason Medical Center, says, it's important to follow the manufacturer's cleaning and disinfection guidelines. And don't forget the lens case.

Some people with extended-wear contacts keep them in when they go to sleep. The eye doctors at Virginia Mason don't recommend that. Your chance of an eye complication is much greater when you do sleep in contact lenses.

Remember, an eye infection can be more than painful, it can threaten your vision. So if you experience any unusual symptoms, contact your eye doctor right away.

For More Information:

Caring for your contact lenses

Contact Lens Care: Tips from the College of Optometrists

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Women’s Beauty Habits Causes Eye Infection

Research by the College of Optometrists has revealed that women's beauty habits are putting their eye health at risk.

Despite recommendations that eye make-up should be thrown away after six months, one in four women continues to use bacteria-ridden products that are over four years old.

A quarter of those surveyed confessed to sharing eye make-up with friends and family, even though one in 10 admitted to frequently suffering from conditions such as conjunctivitis, said the College.

Welsh women were the worst culprits. A third admitted to owning eye make-up that was over four years old while women in their late 30s and early 40s had the oldest make-up bags one in five admitted to using make-up that was over five years old.

Dr Susan Blakeney, optometric adviser to the College, said: 'Mascara can be a breeding ground for bacteria, so it's not surprising we've found nearly half of women suffer from itchy, watery and red eyes.'

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