Keratoconjunctivitis and soft contact lens solutions.

Three patients with soft contact lenses had acute onset of a red eye that clinically appeared consistent with an adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis. The signs and symptoms cleared within five to ten days in all three patients. When the patients reinserted their lenses after their initial episodes, the same signs and symptoms again developed, including follicular conjunctivitis, punctate keratitis, and subepithelial infiltrates. All three were using preserved solutions for soft lens disinfection, and when switched to thermal disinfection with saline tablets, a recurrence of the syndrome did not develop when the lenses were replaced. This syndrome seems related to a toxic or allergic reaction to the preservatives in the contact lens disinfecting solutions. Similar patients who have an acute or chronic, red, irritated eye should stop their lens wear and later should change their disinfection technique to one that uses unpreserved saline solution to eliminate the problem.