From the Guidelines
If you wear contacts and develop bacterial conjunctivitis, you should immediately stop wearing your contacts and switch to glasses until the infection completely resolves. Contact your eye doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment, which typically includes antibiotic eye drops such as erythromycin, ciprofloxacin, or tobramycin, used as prescribed (usually 1-2 drops in the affected eye(s) every 4-6 hours for 7-10 days) 1. Discard your current contact lenses and case, as they may harbor bacteria that could cause reinfection. Continue treatment for the full prescribed course even if symptoms improve quickly. After the infection has completely cleared and your doctor approves, you can resume wearing new contact lenses. Bacterial conjunctivitis is highly contagious, so practice good hygiene by washing hands frequently, avoiding touching your eyes, and not sharing towels or pillowcases. The infection occurs when bacteria enter the eye and multiply in the conjunctiva, causing inflammation, redness, discharge, and discomfort. Contact lens wearers are at higher risk because lenses can trap bacteria against the eye surface and create microtrauma that facilitates bacterial entry 1. Some key points to consider when resuming contact lens wear include:
- Using only fresh contact lens disinfecting solution in the case and never mixing old and new solutions 1
- Replacing the contact lens case every 3 months 1
- Avoiding overnight wear of contact lenses, as it increases the risk of corneal infections 1
- Following the specific contact lens cleaning and storage guidelines from your doctor and the solution manufacturer 1
From the FDA Drug Label
Patients should be advised not to wear contact lenses if they have signs or symptoms of bacterial conjunctivitis. Avoid Contact Lens Wear: Patients should not wear contact lenses if they have signs or symptoms of bacterial conjunctivitis.
Key Points:
- Patients with bacterial conjunctivitis should not wear contact lenses.
- This is advised to prevent further complications or worsening of the condition.
- It is recommended to avoid contact lens wear until the symptoms of bacterial conjunctivitis have resolved 2, 2, 2.
From the Research
Bacterial Conjunctivitis and Contact Lens Wear
- Bacterial conjunctivitis is a common infectious disease of the eye, characterized by conjunctival hyperemia, eyelid edema, and purulent discharge 3.
- Contact lens wearers may be more likely to develop gram-negative infections, and bacterial keratitis occurs in up to 30 per 100,000 contact lens wearers 4.
Treatment of Bacterial Conjunctivitis
- Topical antibiotics, such as moxifloxacin, gatifloxacin, and levofloxacin, are effective in treating bacterial conjunctivitis 5, 3, 6, 7.
- Gatifloxacin 0.5% ophthalmic solution administered twice daily for 5 days is safe and effective for the treatment of acute bacterial conjunctivitis in patients one year of age or older 7.
- Moxifloxacin has a higher potency and faster in vitro 'speed-to-kill' compared to non-fluoroquinolones, and its use can lead to reduced time-to-cure and a lower number of treatment failures 5.
Prevention and Management
- Good hygiene practices, such as frequent hand washing and proper cleaning and disinfection of contact lenses, can help prevent the spread of bacterial conjunctivitis 4.
- Contact lens wearers should be aware of the increased risk of bacterial conjunctivitis and take steps to minimize this risk, such as avoiding sharing contact lenses or makeup 4.