Decision Making in Contact Lens Practice, the Why and the When

Acanthamoeba keratitis is a potentially blinding disease that has recently been on the rise. Increasing associations are being made between contact lens wearers and acanthamoeba. As clinical practitioners, optometrists need to gain a better understanding of the risk factors associated with acanthamoeba keratitis and include an education program for the patient to decrease occurrences of the condition. Various literatures will be reviewed to gain a better understanding of acanthamoeba keratitis. It is found that contact lens wearers have an increased risk of contamination with acanthamoeba due to improper hygiene1. Acanthamoeba may lead to complications such as corneal infiltrates, erosions, scarring and eventually ulceration2. It is essential to prevent microbial keratitis with acanthamoeba involvement due to its adverse consequences. Preventative measures can b