Contact Lenses Blamed For Eye Infection Outbreak In Bangkok

[webfact]

Contact lenses blamed for eye infection outbreak

By The Nation

After four users of "Big Eye" contact lenses had been admitted to Bangkok's Phra Nang Klao Hospital with bacteria infections in the past two weeks, an eye doctor yesterday urged authorities to strictly control selling of the Big Eye as a medical product.

The hospital's ophthalmologist Dr Thapanawong Tanguraiwan said the four patients, all under 20 with the youngest aged 14, had red swollen eyes with green gum. A microscope showed each had a scratch on the cornea.

They were later diagnosed with a bacteria pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. In severe cases the cornea is damaged within two days and, if not treated in time, blindness can result. Eye removal may be necessary to prevent further infection through bacteria spreading through the blood.

Doctors suspected the eye infection resulted from use of Big Eye contact lenses, bought for about Bt300 a pair from weekend markets, via the Internet or direct sales, Dr Thapanawong said.

Citing that "Big Eye" contact lenses were a product whose production, import and selling must be authorised by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the eye doctor urged the authority to check on Big Eye sales at markets and on the Internet. He urged the Education Ministry to strictly supervise contact lens usage among schoolchildren. Big Eye users should keep the lenses clean to prevent eye infections.

One patient, Natthaporn Oontham, 20, said she was shortsighted and ordered Big Eye contact lenses from the Internet to look cute. Many peers had worn them for years. After using the second pair for 23 months, Natthaporn said she developed red and irritated eyes.

-- The Nation 2011-02-16

[jfchandler]

Another clueless article from The Nation..

"Big Eye" contact lenses are made by whom and from where?

The lenses involved, if authentic, are or are not approved by the FDA in Thailand for sale here?

The doctors think the problem is with the real lenses themselves, or due to poor quality imitations being sold by non-optometrists?

It would be kind of important to know all those things... But the news report, of course, gives the reader absolutely no clue.

BTW, are they called "Big Eye" because they make the wearer look like the colored part of their eye is "BIG", hence the cuteness appeal?

[chmiroau]

Sure, we all should have known that this was going to happen. Low quality products for lower prices, low quality cleaners and a suspect hygiene philosophy.

I, for one don't know why the girls (and now boys) here want to wear them, they are f%$#*^ freaky. I simply cant look at them. I really wonder what would happen when I got the girl home, first she would take her hair extensions out, then her breast enlargement pads, then her bottom enlargement pads (really, you can get them to make your bum bigger) then she takes her contacts out, then washes her make up off, and what have you got?

Surely all this fibbing about ones looks is just covering up something even more serious than a plain Jane girl, or woman?

Give me natural everything and I am as happy as the proverbial.

[w11guy]

I, for one don't know why the girls (and now boys) here want to wear them

It's called fashion.

[jfchandler]

I've worn contact lenses, albeit hard RGP ones, for many years without problem, and get a new pair from my eye doctor every year or so...

However, I'm assuming these Big Eye lenses are the soft lens variety, since hard contact lenses are relatively rare here....

As far as I'm aware, there's no variety of soft contact lens that should be worn with the same pair for 23 months, as in the example of the girl in the article. Because they're soft lenses, they get worn out and can have bacterial problems in much shorter periods of time, so that's why most soft lenses, AFAIK, are supposed to be replaced pretty often.... Doing otherwise is asking for trouble.

[lazygourmet]

I, for one don't know why the girls (and now boys) here want to wear them

It's called fashion.

Spot on....

Fake braces, fake Kelly bags... and now fake contact lenses are now parading around Siam Square.

[cbc]

Lots of stuff goes on in this country to give one the wrong appearance.A big thing is the whitening cream because they don't like brown or darker skin.But,let's face it,is thailand not a tropical country.Maybe i am wrong but i think it is.And where in a tropical country that has sunshine practically 365 day's a year do the people have light or yellowish white skin.Only in thailand.If that cream and longsleeve shirt's,sweater,coat and balaclava's are not used when driving their mode of transportation (motor bike ) just see how long a time it is before they are their normal colour,which the people of a tropical country should be.

[Nisa]

I am not advocating the use of ill fitting contacts or using them incorrectly but how do 4 people in 2 weeks equal an "outbreak" in a city of approx. 10 million people.

[voracious]

Big eye meaning they make the eyes look bigger and yes they are a fashion statement readily available in MBK and other malls.

I think the problem is this:

After using the second pair for 23 months

There may be an issue of them being used past their dispose by date/period and there may be issues with improper care or cleaning.

Unless they're hard contacts they have a life span much shorter than 23 months! (my daughter's soft lenses are supposed to be disposed of monthly).

Also because big eye contacts are larger than regular contacts, there can problem with fitting and issues of oxygen deprivation to the eyes and other vision problems.

Best thing to do is only get them from an optometrist you trust. You only get one pair of eyes.

Additional source of info: NY Times article: What Big Eyes You Have, Dear, but Are Those Contacts Risky?

[toybits]

Have seen many girls wearing Big Eye contact lenses. Fashion can be a killer. Mass media can be a killer. Weight loss drugs can be even worse. Cosmetic surgery can disfigure a person. Peer pressure can also drive people nutters.

[Interman]

I would hardly call 4 cases an outbreak.

[DP25]

Sounds like pink eye. When I got it at that age, it wasn't from my contact lenses.

[tragickingdom]

We can go on and on like this. When Thai companies are involved the enforcement of regulations is lax. I am pretty sure that when a foreign company would have been dragged to the streets and shown on TV. Even people who became blind in private hospitals because of the use of dirty eyes drops in private hospitals have been treated with disdain.

[jfchandler]

Thanks for the NYT article on this... Obviously I'm not up on the latest in teen/20s fashion... I'd seen photos like that, but had just assumed it was Photoshopping... Obviously not...

Of note from the article on these lenses:

--no major maker of contact lenses in the United States currently sells circle lenses

--imported from Asia

--shipments of the lenses to the U.S. are illegal

--eye doctors express grave concern over them

--circle lenses have gone mainstream in Japan, Singapore and South Korea

--Karen Riley, a spokeswoman for the F.D.A., was a bit surprised, too. When first contacted last month, she did not know what circle lenses were...

[samjaidee]

When you buy prescription contact lenses from an optician for the first time the optician will always emphasize the importance of cleaning and storage.

When you buy fashion lenses from a market the chances are they aren't even selling cleaning solutions let alone tell you about cleaning.

I'm quietly confident this would happen in any country where non-prescription contact lenses are freely available. Kids particularly, don't care. They think they're invincible.

I think I would have tried them if they were available when I was a teenager; wouldn't you?

[Nisa]

I believe they also check the size of your eye as it is a not one size fit all type of thing with contacts .. at least that is one of the major problems they cite with the lenses.

[whybother]

I've worn contact lenses, albeit hard RGP ones, for many years without problem, and get a new pair from my eye doctor every year or so...

However, I'm assuming these Big Eye lenses are the soft lens variety, since hard contact lenses are relatively rare here....

As far as I'm aware, there's no variety of soft contact lens that should be worn with the same pair for 23 months, as in the example of the girl in the article. Because they're soft lenses, they get worn out and can have bacterial problems in much shorter periods of time, so that's why most soft lenses, AFAIK, are supposed to be replaced pretty often.... Doing otherwise is asking for trouble.

I am sure that is supposed to be "2 - 3 months".

Even so, if infections are happening, wouldn't it be a problem with the cleaning of the lenses?

[frankylove]

FDA-dUEBA.pdfthese lenses have been about for ages my friend is a big seller of these imports from Korea roughly about 2,000 pairs a month they sell really quick as the students even adults etc love them.. i think theses are a great product and the "wonder eyes brand" which is big eyes have all the FDA etc ive had a look through it myself... but it really depends on how they are looked after example if you sleep with them in your asking for trouble you have to wash every time you use with the right solution not water.. but the list goes on if you are around smoke that can effect as it will dry the eyes and this will effect the lens.. also there are many fakes most have a gold lid where as the real and normal "big eyes" have a silver lid.. it is really a young person thing the lens come in all colours and strength ie the fashion is 0.0 but they can go as far -8.0 for help vision so many students use while at school cheaper too then normal contacts i think this "out break has been a result of either fakes or people not taking the right care.. or dont know how to use properly as they do not come with instructions these have been in thailand now for a few years only now the problems are starting so i think the problem is else where... anyways check out these certificates maybe this can answer a few questions???

[jfchandler]

Ahh...perhaps another case of the disappearing ------'s. Meanwhile...

AOA's New American Eye-Q® Survey Finds Many Contact Wearers Follow Good Hygiene, But There's Room for Improvement

According to the 2010 American Eye-Q® survey, nearly a quarter of respondents do replace daily disposable lenses every day, but the majority of respondents wear the disposable lenses longer than recommended, a big mistake as this can increase deposits and adherence of bacteria on the lens, which could cause damage to the cornea.

Additionally, a quarter of respondents reported wearing contact lenses while sleeping, another hazardous habit that can lead to infections and dry eye syndrome.

The AOA's survey shows that although a majority of contact lens wearers (58 percent) clean and disinfect them with an appropriate solution, another 23 percent of respondents soak or clean lenses in water, and 12 percent store their contacts in something other than a typical storage case.

Cleaning and rinsing lenses are necessary to remove mucus, secretions, films or deposits which may have accumulated during wearing, while disinfecting is required to destroy harmful germs. Water does not disinfect lenses; in fact it can actually contaminate contacts. Using something other than an appropriate case for storing lenses can allow bacteria to grow on or near contacts.

Circle Lenses Another cause for concern is the recent popularity of "circle-tinted" contact lenses, which makes the eye's iris appear larger. In 2005, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classified all contact lenses, whether they correct vision or are used simply for cosmetics, as medical devices. In the United States, contact lenses cannot be obtained legally without a prescription. Since the sources for many of these products are typically outside of the U.S., many do not meet FDA requirements for prescription verification, and in some cases, wearers are risking their vision in order to be fashion-forward.

"Consumers who purchase lenses without a prescription or without consultation from an eye doctor put themselves at risk of serious bacterial infection, or even significant damage to the eye's ability to function, with the potential for irreversible sight loss," Dr. Sindt warns.

Contact lens wearers who don't follow the guidelines for use and wear can experience symptoms such as blurred or fuzzy vision; red or irritated eyes; uncomfortable lenses; pain in and around the eyes or, a more serious condition in which the cornea becomes inflamed, also known as keratitis.

"One of the simplest things contact lens wearers can do to ensure the well-being of their eyes is to see their optometrist regularly," said Dr. Sindt. "Comprehensive eye exams can detect any signs of contact-related problems and treat them before they permanently damage eye and vision health."

Every time I read this kind of thing, I can't help but get the feeling that it's the medical community fighting to hold onto their business and incomes... Yet, at the same time, teenagers and others really ought not to be wearing self-prescribed, self-fitted contact lenses.

[Thaifever]

I have worn contact lenses for 20 years and I can tell you there are no contacts that last 23 months. Even 12 months is impossible without massive care and cleaning. I don't know about the rest of the cases but if there was bacteria present when bought, in this particular case, it would have shown up 23 months ago.

[Bagwan]

I, for one don't know why the girls (and now boys) here want to wear them

It's called fashion.

Fashion - followed by people without a mind of their own.

[Bagwan]

Sure, we all should have known that this was going to happen. Low quality products for lower prices, low quality cleaners and a suspect hygiene philosophy.

I, for one don't know why the girls (and now boys) here want to wear them, they are f%$#*^ freaky. I simply cant look at them. I really wonder what would happen when I got the girl home, first she would take her hair extensions out, then her breast enlargement pads, then her bottom enlargement pads (really, you can get them to make your bum bigger) then she takes her contacts out, then washes her make up off, and what have you got?

Surely all this fibbing about ones looks is just covering up something even more serious than a plain Jane girl, or woman?

Give me natural everything and I am as happy as the proverbial.

After the Ball was over

Sally took out her glass eye

Put her false teeth in a basin

Next to a bottle of dye

Propped up her leg in the corner

Hung up her arm on the wall

All that was left went to bye byes

After the Ball.

Edited February 16, 2011 by Bagwan

[whybother]

I have worn contact lenses for 20 years and I can tell you there are no contacts that last 23 months. Even 12 months is impossible without massive care and cleaning. I don't know about the rest of the cases but if there was bacteria present when bought, in this particular case, it would have shown up 23 months ago.

Standard TV copy and paste ... a few " - " get lost somewhere.

It probably should have read "2 - 3 months".

[webfact]

Raid scoops up 'big eyes' contacts

By The Nation

The Consumer Protection Police yesterday seized some 10,000 pairs of "big eyes" contact lenses from three shops at the Union Mall in Bangkok's Chatuchak district.

Claiming the Dolly Eyes, Rainbow Shop, and AtToys shops had no import permits, police also arrested the shopkeepers on charges of importing goods without permission - punishable by a one-year imprisonment and/or a Bt500,000 fine.

Pol Colonel Preutthipong Prayoonsiri said police and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspected shops selling "big eyes" contact lenses at the Union Mall, MBK, The Mall Ngamwongwan, The Mall Bang Kapi and Seacon Square. They said it was a medical product whose production, import and sale must be approved by the FDA.

On October 15, the FDA revoked all permits - except that of one firm - to get producers/importers of the product, which is supposed to make eyes look bigger and more fashionable, to apply for new permits. Police questioning of a shopkeeper found that the product, mostly imported at Bt100 a pair, was sold at Bt150 a pair and most customers were female students.

-- The Nation 2011-02-17

[TAWP]

Apparently driving a car at 150km/h straight into a tree would be blamed on the car here...using a monthly set of contact lenses for 23 months is insane, period. And NOT the fault of the maker.

(That doesn't mean that there probably is a lot of substandard ones out there, but for there to be a big flag raised there should be more than mere 4 infections in a city of 9-10 million. More people than that die every day from food poisoning after eating out...)

[Nisa]

the FDA revoked all permits - except that of one firm

LOL, I guess that "one" firm must be selling them in a way that causes the FDA to believe the same product is not a problem to users.

[jfchandler]

On October 15, the FDA revoked all permits - except that of one firm - to get producers/importers of the product, which is supposed to make eyes look bigger and more fashionable, to apply for new permits.

Now, I bet there's a story behind who and why just one firm was somehow exempted from that FDA action.....

Also, if the government has revoked almost all the permits for these things, and the police inspected shops selling the lenses at the bunch of other malls listed, how come no products were seized or shop owners detained at MBK, The Mall Ngamwongwan, The Mall Bang Kapi and Seacon Square??? Why only the Union Mall?

TAWP, re the 23 months issue, someone above suggested that the hyphen got dropped in the posting process and it likely was meant to say 2 to 3 months. However, I looked at the original article post on The Nation web site, not the TV version, and The Nation website does say "23 months." So who knows which version is correct.

[Seizhin]

Apparently driving a car at 150km/h straight into a tree would be blamed on the car here...using a monthly set of contact lenses for 23 months is insane, period. And NOT the fault of the maker.

(That doesn't mean that there probably is a lot of substandard ones out there, but for there to be a big flag raised there should be more than mere 4 infections in a city of 9-10 million. More people than that die every day from food poisoning after eating out...)

That's very much correct. I was also tempted to go for these "coloured" lense and "big eyes" and ordered some of them and I found them to be in a good quality (Made in South Korea)

It clearly stated yearly lense.. Change the Lense cleaner daily, etc. etc. With these many users in Thailand, there's bound to be users who neglected the hygiene of their lense.

[TAWP]

TAWP, re the 23 months issue, someone above suggested that the hyphen got dropped in the posting process and it likely was meant to say 2 to 3 months.

Ah, yes, knowing of their hyphen problems from other news-posts this could indeed be the case. But even so, it is something to avoid. As is the care of having the lenses under water instead of the lens-fluid etc, as water contains a lot of organisms.

But in either case - 4 cases is not an outbreak. It is a possible symptom.

[Nisa]

Apparently driving a car at 150km/h straight into a tree would be blamed on the car here...using a monthly set of contact lenses for 23 months is insane, period. And NOT the fault of the maker.

(That doesn't mean that there probably is a lot of substandard ones out there, but for there to be a big flag raised there should be more than mere 4 infections in a city of 9-10 million. More people than that die every day from food poisoning after eating out...)

That's very much correct. I was also tempted to go for these "coloured" lense and "big eyes" and ordered some of them and I found them to be in a good quality (Made in South Korea)

It clearly stated yearly lense.. Change the Lense cleaner daily, etc. etc. With these many users in Thailand, there's bound to be users who neglected the hygiene of their lense.

I am not a contact lens user but my ex was ... would this (yearly) indicate they are "hard" lenses? Don't hard lenses need to be fitted even more so than the soft 30-day disposable types?

I am shocked to hear they are yearly use because I also thought they would go for the cheaper type in terms of this being more a novelty. By any chance did you buy a prescription pair (wondering if that is why you got yearly)?

Also not sure about the manufacturing of lenses but I am going to have to assume these must be being produced by normal contact lens manufacturers since they are offered in prescription too.