Corneal keratitis is a common but severe infectious disease; without immediate and efficient treatment, it can lead to vision loss within a few days. With the development of antibiotic resistance, novel approaches have been developed to combat corneal keratitis. Contact lenses were initially developed to correct vision. Although silicon hydrogel-based contact lenses protect the cornea from hypoxic stress from overnight wear, wearing contact lenses was reported as an essential cause of corneal keratitis. With the development of technology, contact lenses are integrated with advanced functions, and functionalized contact lenses are used for killing bacteria and preventing infectious corneal keratitis. In this review, we aim to examine the current applications of contact lenses for anti-corneal keratitis.
Keywords: bacterial keratitis; bacterial killing; bacterial resistance; functional contact lens.