• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.324-327
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• 2012

Acanthamoeba is a free-living amoeba that causes human infections, and recently the incidence of amoebic keratitis has increased among contact lens wearers. In order to investigate Acanthamoeba contamination of contact lens storage cases, a short survey was performed on 57 contact lens wearers, and Acanthamoeba was found in one contact lens storage case. To diagnose Acanthamoeba, the 18s small subunit ribosomal DNA (18s rDNA) gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and subsequently, the isolate was identified as A. lugdunensis. This species was originally isolated from a freshwater pool in France, and was reported recently to be a cause of amoebic keratitis. This observation indicates the need for a large survey to investigate the extent of Acanthamoeba contamination, and suggests that contact lens wearers be aware of the importance of hygiene and of the implications of Acanthamoeba infection.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.135-145
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• 2011

Purpose: This study was conducted to investigate the actual condition of caring soft contact lens cases and the change in contamination level of lens cases by wearing and storage period of soft contact lens. Methods: The actual condition of caring soft lens cases was surveyed with sixty-three of contact lens wearers. Soft contact lenses were worn for 1, 3, 7 and 14 days, and the lenses were separately stored in 12 lens cases for 1, 3 and 7 days. The contamination level of lens cases was determined by counting the numbers of microorganisms, gram negative bacteria and fungi. Results: Only 14% of survey answerers cleaned their lens cases with a brush, rinsed and dried them upside down before next usage of lens case when those lenses were kept for a long time. Furthermore, 54% of total answerers just kept soft contact lens in the case without changing the multipurpose solution. Microorganisms, gram negative bacteria and fungi were detected in lens cases even when soft contact lens were kept for 1 day in the lens case after wearing for 1 day and cleaning it with multipurpose solution. The numbers of microorganisms, gram negative bacteria and fungi in lens cases increased with storage periods of soft contact lens, and also contamination level of lens cases was increased in accordance with wearing period of lens. In the lens cases without changing multipurpose solution, the numbers of microorganisms, gram negative bacteria and fungi increased with storage period of lens with statistical significance. Conclusions: This study showed that lens wearers' concerns on caring contact lens case were not satisfactory. As the result, the contamination of lens cases was related to increase of lens wearing and storage periods suggesting that the proper instruction and education for lens wearers are required.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.33-42
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• 2000

This study was conducted for 356 customers coming to N optometrist office in Masan city in order to evaluate practice of hygienic control of contact lens storage cases. The results were as follows: 1) For disinfection of contact lens storage case, students used wetting saline solution(42.6%), exclusive wetting solution(23.0%) and 21(11.5%) of them didn't practice disinfection. Others besides students used wetting saline solution(29.1%), boiling water(27.3%) and 42(25.5%) of them didn't practice disinfection(P<0.01). 2) For storage case washing solution, 18(85.7%) out of 21 people who belong to high economic class used wetting saline solution, 3(14.3%) used exclusive wetting solution, 141(48.0%) out of 294 people who belong to middle economic class used wetting saline solution, 129(43.9%) used exclusive solution(P<0.01). 3) For wetting solution of storage case, 132(74.6%) out of 177 students used exclusive wetting solution and the rest(25.4%) used wetting saline solution, 102(64.2%) out of 159 others besides students used exclusive wetting solution, 51(32.1%) used wetting saline solution and 6(3.8%) used sold water and city water(P<0.05). 4) 66(94.3%) out of 70 contact lens storage cases were contaminated by bacteria and Serratia marcescens was isolated in 33(47.1%) out of 70 contact lens storage cases.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.127-134
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• 1997

Transmission electron microscopy of an ArGnthnmoebo isolate (KA/LS) from a contact lens case revealed bacterial endosymbionts within cytoplasm of the amoebae. The Acnnthamoebn isolate belonged to the morphological group ll. Based on the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) - restriction fragment leilgth polymorphism (RFLP) of 185 ribosomal RNA coding DNA (rDNA) , the isolate was identified as A. Iwnunensis. Strain typing by isoenzyme analysis using isorlectric focusing (IEF) and mitochondrial (Ent) DNA RFLP revealed that the isolate was closely related with KA/Ll , the most predominant type of isolates from contact lens storage casas, KA/E2, a clinical isolate, KA/W4, previou:fly reported to host endosymbionts. and L3a strains of A. Iwnunensis. The endosymbionts were similar to those of KA/W4 in a.jpects that they were randomly distributed in both trophozoites and cysts, and were rod-shaped bacteri3 measuring approximately 1.38 x 0.50 ㎛. But the number of endosymbionts per amoeba was significantly lower than that of KA/W4. They were neither limited by phagosomal membranes nor included in lacunae- like stnlcture.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.187-192
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• 2000

The objective of this study was to investigate the problems of soft contact lens wear on the women college students. The results were as follows 1. Almost the purchase of soft contact lens was the optical shop. 2. Almost the motive of soft contact lens use was the discomfort of glasses wear. 3. Almost the good feeling of glasses wear was moderate degree. 4. On the main reason of exchange of contact lens, teens was contact lens damage and tweenths was lifespan of contact lens. 5. On the contact lens wearing time at one day, teens was over 10 hours and tweenths was from 7 hours to 10 hours. 6. On the contact care and treatment, teens was a lens washing and storage and tweenths was a lens washing and disinfectant. 7. On the main difficult of contact lens handling, teens was a lens separation in eye and disinfection of lens case and tweenths was a solution treatment and insertion of contact lens in the eye. 8. On the contact lens insertion in the eye, the most difficult item was hanging of the eyelid and fear thinking in teens and fear thinking in tweenths. 9. On the difficult in separate of contact lens wear, a most subjects were eye opening. 10. On the most inconvenient state in contact lens wearing, the subjects were eye redness, foreign body and eye pain. 11. On the advantage of contact lens wearing, teens was decrease in glasses side effects and twenties was a beauty.

• Journal of The Korean Ophthalmological Society
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• v.58 no.5
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• pp.509-515
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• 2017

Purpose: To compare the amoebicidal effects of nephrite containing contact lens (CL) storage cases with conventional CL storage cases. Methods: Acanthamoeba lugdunensis were inoculated onto 5% nephrite containing CL storage cases as well as conventional CL storage cases both with and without silicone hydrogel contact lenses (SHCLs). Then the amount of Acanthamoeba proliferation on CL storage cases and the number of adherent Acanthamoeba on SHCLs were determined and compared. The effects of multipurpose solution (MPS) with and without 1% or 5% nephrite solution on Acanthamoeba adhesion were analyzed. Results: Nephrite containing CL storage cases showed more inhibitory effects on Acanthamoeba proliferation (p = 0.02) and significantly reduced the number of adherent Acanthamoeba on SHCLs compared with conventional CL storage cases, regardless of SHCLs generation (p = 0.001, p = 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). The number of adherent Acanthamoeba on the first generation of SHCLs was significantly reduced by MPS with 1% and 5% nephrite solutions (p = 0.03 and p = 0.004, respectively), but the numbers for the second and third generation SHCLs were not. Conclusions: Nephrite could be used as a new additive component for CL storage cases and multipurpose solutions to improve the disinfection effects on Acanthamoeba.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.15-20
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• 2002

The Hydroxyethyl methacrylate(HEMA) was developped in 1960's and later the use of contact lenses increased. At present more and more people use RGP contact lenses. Due to the wide range of optical corrections available and due to their high oxygen transmission Japanese and Korean people like them. Nevertheless one of nine CL users(beginners) stopped wearing the CL within the first year. We conducted a survey to evaluate the level of patient compliance in lens care and maintenance and to assess practitioner knowledge of contact lens information. Generally 6% of contact lens wearers drop out per year. The aim of this research was to find out what opticians can do to reduce the drop-out rate by getting information on handling, on general data of the patient and on optical prescription. Lens wearer were asked to complete a 10 question survey that focused on lens care-wear modality, lens replacement, storage, symptoms and case disinfection. There were total 180 participants in the study. Most of contact lens wearers have an inadequate understanding of contact lens care system. Therefore, it is important that contact lens specialists place more emphasis on practitioner education about general contact lens fields and reinforce patient education during the dispensing visit.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.45 no.1 s.141
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• pp.11-18
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• 2007

Recent in vitro studies have revealed that a certain Mycobacterium can survive and multiply within free-living amoebae. It is believed that protozoans function as host cells for the intracellular replication and evasion of Mycobacterium spp. under harmful conditions. In this study, we describe the isolation and characterization of a bacterium naturally observed within an amoeba isolate acquired from a contact lens storage case. The bacterium multi-plied within Acanthamoeba, but exerted no cytopathic effects on the amoeba during a 6-year amoebic culture. Trasnmission electron microscopy showed that the bacteria were randomly distributed within the cytoplasm of trophozoites and cysts of Acanthamoeba. On the basis of the results of 18S rRNA gene analysis, the amoeba was identified as A. lugdunensis. A 16S rRNA gene analysis placed this bacterium within the genus Mycobacterium. The bacterium evidenced positive reactivity for acid-fast and fluorescent acid-fast stains. The bacterium was capable of growth on the Middlebrook 7H11-Mycobacterium-specific agar. The identification and characterization of bacterial endosymbionts of free-living protozoa bears significant implications for our understanding of the ecology and the identification of other atypical mycobacterial pathogens.