Acanthamoeba keratitis in hard contact lens wearers. Case report and review of the literature of 108 cases

• Published in: Klinische Monatsblätter für Augenheilkunde Vol. 198; no. 4; p. 290
• Main Authors: Lang, G E, von Heimburg-Elliger, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: German
• Published: Germany 01.04.1991
• Subjects: Acanthamoeba - ultrastructure; Acanthamoeba Keratitis - diagnosis; Acanthamoeba Keratitis - pathology; Acanthamoeba Keratitis - surgery; Animals; Contact Lenses - adverse effects; Cornea - pathology; Corneal Injuries; Corneal Ulcer - diagnosis; Corneal Ulcer - pathology; Corneal Ulcer - surgery; Female; Humans; Keratoplasty, Penetrating; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Middle Aged; Postoperative Complications - diagnosis; Postoperative Complications - pathology; Postoperative Complications - surgery; Reoperation
• ISSN: 0023-2165

We report on a 49 year old woman with Acanthamoeba keratitis. She was wearing hard contact lenses and had a history of a minor trauma when removing her lens after a visit of a hot tub. She had the typical corneal ring infiltrate and complained about severe pain. The medical treatment was uneffective. Because of progressive deterioration penetrating keratoplasty was necessary. After a rekeratoplasty because of a recurrent infection on the transplant the patient has done well now for 3 years. The diagnosis was made on histological grounds. We report on 108 patients of the literature: 8 (7%) patients were wearing hard contact lenses; 19 (17%) remembered a trauma; 4 (3.7%) had visited a hot tub; 61 (56%) needed penetrating keratoplasty, 11 (10%) rekeratoplasty; 5 (4.6%) eyes were enucleated; in 21 (19%) patients the diagnosis was made on histological grounds.