An inexpensive coating made from the mineral selenium can keep contact lenses virtually bacteria-free without irritating the eyes or interfering with the lenses' corrective powers.
Why are bacteria-free lenses important?
The last main problem with contact lenses is the adhesion of bacteria to the lens surface. Bacteria can form stubborn coatings called "biofilms" on the lenses, and infection can damage the cornea and even lead to blindness.
How were the contact lenses tested?
The research involved rabbits and the researcher's own eyes. After two months of constant lens wear, the rabbits showed no sign of eye irritation. The selenium coating is only one molecule thick and therefore the researcher doesn't believe it will interfere with the wearer's vision. After completing the tests on rabbits, the researcher tested the selenium lens on himself. He inserted control contact lens in one eye and a selenium-coated lens in the other eye. He removed the lenses after a week, placed them in a lab dish and waited four days. Upon examination, the control lens was coated in bacteria and the selenium-coated lens was almost bacteria-free.
Could this selenium coating have other applications?
The researcher points out that the coating might be used for other medical materials to prevent infection. The researcher is currently in discussions with not only contact lens companies, but also manufacturers of other health products.
Annual Meeting American Chemical Society, Boston, MA; August 21, 2002
Interesting commentary. This clearly shows that people opposed to vaccines have been quite consistent for the past 150 years. That's six generations!
If you want a real treat you can read the articles below which are about 100 years old and they document the concerns of people a century ago about vaccinations.
Selenium Keeps Bacteria Away From Contact Lenses
This is a wonderful application of nutritional medicine. For most people this would serve as a selenium supplement. Selenium is necessary for optimal antioxidant protection as it is a co-factor for glutathione, one of the most potent intracellular antioxidants.
However, selenium by itself is a potent anti-viral and I use it to help treat hepatitis C. It makes perfect sense to use it in contact lenses. My only caution would be to avoid taking selenium supplements if you ever wind up using these lenses, unless you check the amount of selenium that would be absorbed. Selenium is clearly quite toxic in large doses and I would be reluctant to see anyone taking more than 1,000 mcg (1mg) per day.
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