The microbial flora in extended-wear soft contact-lens wearers.

Of 857 cultures of material collected from the eyelids, conjunctivae, and contact lenses of 51 extended-wear soft-contact-lens wearers, 44 (5%) grew potential pathogens. The aphakic patients wearing contact lenses had fewer recoverable pathogens (24 of 295 or 8%) than a group of preoperative cataract patients (63 of 295 or 21%). On five occasions, positive cultures accompanied clinical symptoms, and on three occasions, repeated cultures grew the same potential pathogen.