Most contact lens solutions don't kill Acanthamoeba

In the Los Angeles Times (7/22), Shara Yurkiewicz wrote, "Most contact lens solutions do not kill the type of amoeba that causes severe eye infections,[Acanthamoeba] according to researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention." Investigators there examined "three species of amoebae that frequently cause the infection. They added solutions containing dormant, inactive forms (cysts) from each of these species to 11 different brands of contact lens solutions." Next, "the cysts were soaked in lens solution for between four to six hours (depending on the manufacturer's soaking time instructions) or 24 hours." The researchers then "watched for two weeks to see which cyst solutions resulted in the growth of active, disease causing amoebae." Notably, "out of 11 solutions tested, the only two that disinfected against the bugs after four to six hours were the two that contained hydrogen peroxide." AOACLS section