A widespread warning has been issued to anyone who uses contact lenses - with threats of a dangerous eye infection increasing substantially.
Reusing lenses boosts the likelihood of contracting Acanthamoeba Keratitis (AK) - a condition which occurs when a parasite gets trapped between the cornea of the eye and the contact lens itself.
Up to 62 per cent of cases of the condition can be prevented by swapping reusable lenses for single-use products.
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Birmingham Live reports that Lead Author, Professor John Dart, of UCL, said: "In recent years we have seen an increase of Acanthamoeba keratitis in the UK and Europe. While the infection is still rare, it is preventable and warrants a public health response.
"Given that an estimated 300 million people across the globe wear contact lenses, it is important that people know how to minimise their risks for developing keratitis."
The study, published in Ophthalmology, was funded by Fight for Sight in collaboration with the NIHR Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre and Moorfields Eye Charity. It found that around 90 per cent of AK cases are associated with avoidable risks.
However, the infection still remains rare - with fewer than one in every 200,000 contact lens wearers in the UK per year affected. The most severely affected patients end up with less than 25 per cent of their vision, or become completely blind.
Overall, 25 per cent of people affected require corneal transplants to treat the disease or restore vision.
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