A novel murine model for contact lens wear reveals clandestine IL-1R dependent corneal parainflammation and susceptibility to microbial keratitis upon inoculation with Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Purpose: Contact lens wear carries a risk of complications, including corneal infection. Solving these complications has been hindered by limitations of existing animal models. Here, we report development of a new murine model of contact lens wear.

Impact of topical corticosteroid pretreatment on susceptibility of the injured murine cornea to Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonization and infection.

Research with animal models of Pseudomonas aeruginosa keratitis has shown that use of a topical corticosteroid alone against an established infection can significantly increase the number of colonizing bacteria or worsen clinical disease. Moreover, retrospective analysis has suggested that corticosteroid use in humans is associated with an increased risk of keratitis in eyes with pre-existing disease. Thus, while corticosteroids are often used to reduce ocular inflammation in the absence of infection, the risk of opportunistic infection remains a concern.

Novel characterization and live imaging of Schlemm's canal expressing Prox-1.

Schlemm's canal is an important structure of the conventional aqueous humor outflow pathway and is critically involved in regulating the intraocular pressure. In this study, we report a novel finding that prospero homeobox protein 1 (Prox-1), the master control gene for lymphatic development, is expressed in Schlemm's canal. Moreover, we provide a novel in vivo method of visualizing Schlemm's canal using a transgenic mouse model of Prox-1-green fluorescent protein (GFP).

Factors in contact lens symptoms: evidence from a multistudy database.

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the effects of demographic, lens performance, and ocular surface response measures on contact lens-related discomfort and dryness, using a large contact lens study database.

Methods: A total of 4164 records were extracted from a database of 220 subjects participating in 46 silicone hydrogel contact lens studies. Subjects discontinued lens wear for 24 hours and were then fit with either comfilcon A or enfilcon A lenses.

Conjunctival epithelial flap in continuous contact lens wear.

Purpose: Composed of sheets of cells detached from the underlying conjunctiva, conjunctival epithelial flap (CEF) is a recently reported phenomenon associated with contact lens wear with potential consequences for ocular health. Although CEF is generally asymptomatic, it is not known to what extent it might increase the longer-term risk of discomfort, inflammatory response, or infection. In this study, we use survival analysis methods to obtain unbiased estimates of the probability of developing CEF, the mean survival time free of CEF, and the effects of age, gender, ethnicity, and contact lens type.

A comparison of invasive and cytotoxic Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain-induced corneal disease responses to therapeutics.

Purpose: During corneal infection, cytotoxic Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains remain mostly extracellular, while invasive strains can enter corneal cells and replicate within them. We tested the hypothesis that ofloxacin, which easily penetrates host cell membranes, would be more effective than the less cell-permeable antibiotic tobramycin, for treatment of corneal infection by an invasive P. aeruginosa strain.