Acanthamoeic Keratitis: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Today, cases of diagnosing various eye diseases have become more frequent. Among them, there is such a disease as acanthamoebic keratitis. It affects both women and men alike. To treat the disease is necessary only after the cause of the pathological process has been precisely determined.

Definition of disease

Acanthamoebic keratitis is an inflammatory disease that occurs due to acanthamoeba damage.This kind of keratitis is inherent in people who use contact correction. The pathological process is formed as a result of improper care of the lenses.

The disease is characterized by a prolonged course, and the outcome is not always favorable.To diagnose the disease involve such methods:

• biomicroscopy;
• pachymetry;
• keratometry;
• microbiological research.

Causes

Without an accurate definition of the cause of the pathology, it is impossible to prescribe effective treatment.

The following risk factors can influence the development of the disease:

• application for cleaning and moistening contact lenses of tap water;
• Storage of lenses in a poorly disinfected container;
• Storage of lenses in solutions that are not reassigned for this;
• adoption of water procedures with contact lenses;
• the use of an impure water from the tap in an eye injury.

Symptoms

If there is acanthamoebic keratitis, the patient will experience the following symptoms:

• pain in the eye;
• redness;
• photophobia;
• violation of visual acuity;
• scanty discharge from the eye.

The presented clinical picture is observed for several weeks.If the disease is detected at an early stage, then the pain is not clearly expressed.Then there are symptoms of inflammation of the ciliary body, turbidity of the anterior chamber fluid of the visual organ.

These symptoms are very similar to the signs of keratitis of the herpetic type. If there is no effect from antiherpetic treatment, then this is an occasion for revision of the diagnosis.

Possible complications

If the time does not begin to treat the disease, then this is fraught with the following consequences:

• secondary glaucoma;
• sclerite;
• iridocyclitis;
• perforation of corneal membrane.

Treatment

Treatment is complex.Here, both pharmacy and folk remedies can be used, and in severe cases surgical treatment is used.

Medication methods

The therapy of acanthamoebic keratitis can proceed both as an outpatient and in a hospital setting.Patients must prescribe drugs for external use.Apply drops and ointments every hour for 2 days. Further they are used up to 4 times a day.

Taking into account the duration of treatment, medicines should be changed after a few months.

To kill the pathogen, you must useantiseptics:

• chlorhexidine bigluconate;
• polyhexamethylene biguanide.

Chlorhexidine is used as a 2% solution.But in the pharmacy there is only 20% solution. To prepare the necessary concentration, you need to take 10 ml of saline and place in it 1 ml of 20% chlorhexidine. Then add 9 ml of saline to 1 ml of diluted product. Do the last 2 more times.

Chlorhexidine is used to kill the pathogen

In the treatment of acanthamoebic keratitis, the use of polyhexamethylene biguanide, 2% has not yet been claimed in Russia. But it is included in the composition of special solutions for lens processing.

In addition to antiseptics, antibiotics can be used for treatment:

• Gentamicin,
• Neomycin,
• Tobramycin.

All antibacterial agents should be used in the form of drops for the eyes, ointments.

Of the medications presented, neomycin is usually prescribed. It is a part of such components as Maxitrol, Dexona.

Another scheme of therapy may include antifungal medicines - Clotrimazole, Fluconazole.They serve for internal use. For relief of unpleasant symptoms use such drugs:

• Cyclomed,
• Tropicamide,
• Indomethacin.

  Antifungal agent for the treatment of acanthamoebic keratitis

If there is a pronounced pain syndrome, the doctor decides on the use of narcotic analgesics.

Surgical method

Operative intervention to patients is carried out only in the case when conservative therapy did not give the proper effect.Use the following methods for this:

1. Layered keratoplasty.It is used in case of opacification, which affects only the cornea. Once the affected area has been removed, a corneal flap is placed on it. In this case, it must conform to the form. Its fastening is carried out by means of seams. They are removed within a year after the surgery.
2. End-to-end keratoplasty.The essence of this operation is that the surgeon excludes the opaque area of ​​the site. If the process is started, the cornea of ​​the visual organ is completely replaced. A corneal transplant is fixed to the site of the removed part of the cornea. An operation is performed using general anesthesia.

Folk remedies

Non-traditional drugs have become widespread with the use of acanthamoebic keratitis.

To get the maximum effect, people's prescriptions should be used in combination with medicines

The following methods remain effective:

1. To eliminate pain and photophobia, it is necessary to use sea-buckthorn oil, you need to drip it on 1-2 drops in the affected eye. Apply the medication at intervals of 3 hours. You can get the long-awaited effect even in neglected cases.
2. If there is suppuration, then at night drip 2-3 drops of celandine juice, combined with an aqueous extract of propolis in the following proportions:.
3. Apply on the forehead and eyes lotion of clay.The thickness of the layer will be 2-3 cm. Lay the clay on a napkin. In this case the clay should be dense, smooth and not spread. The duration of the procedure is, hours. The day to perform 2-3 procedures.
4. Remove the juice from the fresh aloe leaf.Add the mummy to it. The resulting means to drip two eyes 1 drop once a day. After 30 days, you can use one drop of aloe juice.
5. Take the rye bread and make a groove.On it upside down to establish a glass. Drops that form on the walls of the glass, it is necessary to collect and drip their eyes.

Prevention

To prevent the development of acanthamoebic keratitis, the following measures should be observed:

1. Observe the rules for the care of contact lenses.To moisten them, disinfect them, you need to use special solutions. But to store products in a specially designed composition and containers. Change them is every quarter.
2. If it is possible, then it is worth using one-day lenses, as they are safer and hygienic.
3. Before taking water procedures, you need to remove contact lenses.
4. Regularly visit an ophthalmologist, even if there are no complaints.Only under the condition of scheduled examinations can we detect various complications of contact correction of vision and remove them in a timely manner.

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conclusions

Acanthamoebic keratitis is a common disease that occurs mainly in people who wear contact lenses for vision correction. Treat the disease immediately after the finding of symptoms. The earlier the therapy is started, the higher the probability of a successful outcome.

Also read about adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis and viral conjunctivitis.