Evaluation of microbial flora of the eye during wear of soft contact lenses.

The microflora of the eye has been monitored in 21 patients during a 6-month period to study changes resulting from wear of soft contact lenses. A minimum of 20 cul-de-sac cultures were taken from each patient. Fifty-one percent of cultures taken prior to lens wear were positive for microbial growth, whereas, after lens wear, positive cultures ranged from 14.3% to 30.9" over the 6-month period. Staphylococcus epidermidis was the most frequently isolated organism, followed by Micrococcus spp., diphtheroids, and Bacillus spp. Nonfermentative, gram-negative rods and fungi were isolated spordically. Bacterial growth was sparse from all specimens, but individual differences were found. The microflora of the eye appears to resemble that of the skin, suggesting that the eye has no real flora of its own, but has a transient flora supplied from the skin, possibly the eyelid.