Researchers have said contact lenses coated with an antimicrobial peptide could help decrease the risk of contact lens-related infections.
Studies in animals and now humans support the biocompatibility and safety of lenses coated with the antimicrobial peptide melimine, according to the new research by Debarun Dutta, B.Optom, of The University of New South Wales, Sydney, and colleagues.
The researchers performed a series of experiments to evaluate the safety of contact lenses coated with melimine, designed to reduce the risk of inflammation and infections. Melimine is not an antibiotic-rather, it is a "cationic peptide" with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity.
Dr Dutta and colleagues explain said antimicrobial peptides are small peptides and part of the innate immune system of all multicellular organisms with the native ability to inhibit microbial growth.
In a subsequent study, human volunteers wore melimine-coated or conventional contact lenses for one day. The coated and uncoated lenses had similar characteristics, including wettability, surface deposits, lens fitting on the center of the eye, lens movement and tightness, and coverage of the cornea. Importantly, there were no differences in redness of the eye-an early sign of irritation or inflammation.
The study has been published in the journal Optometry and Vision Science.