More BrandsContact lenses have come a long way in the past few decades but the industry continues to reap the benefits of new advances and discoveries. There may come a time when lens-related infections become non-existent and Australia will take major credit for that. Thanks to the work of researchers from the University of New South Wales (UNSW), future contact lenses could have antimicrobial coatings that eliminate the danger of infections, thus ushering in a golden age for the contact lens industry, according to an article on the American Optometric Association (AOA) website.
The UNSW researchers made a major breakthrough in 2008 when they developed melimine. The antimicrobial peptide is seen as an excellent base for contact lens coatings that reduce inflammation and infections. Debarun Dutta, a PhD candidate at the Brien Holden Vision Institute and the UNSW School of Optometry, is currently conducting research that involves the development of melimine coatings. According to Dutta, melimine has shown its effectiveness in protecting against different ocular pathogens, among them bacteria, fungi and Acanthamoeba. In addition to being heat stable, the coating does not affect the physical dimensions of contact lenses. Moreover, it is wettable and non-toxic to mammalian cells.
Medical advances have brought us to the point where contact lens wearers are very rarely at risk of infection. Research has shown than it affects just four out of 10,000 daily contacts wearers and 20 out of 10,000 extended wear lens users per year. Nevertheless, serious infections can result in vision loss and this is sufficient motivation for researchers to continue their work on creating even safer lenses. Since inflammation and infection are generally regarded as a key barrier to wider adoption, antimicrobial coatings could seriously boost the contact lens industry, the Brien Holden Vision Institute believes.
