Impact of face masks on eye microbiome and contact lens surfaces found to be minimal

Wearing face masks does not significantly alter the microbiome of the conjunctiva, eyelid margin, or contact lens surfaces in healthy individuals, according to a study that found that although mask use was associated with an increase in Staphylococcus capitis on contact lenses and some ocular surface staining, it did not affect the overall bacterial diversity or lead to increased discomfort or dry eye symptoms.

The study, which included 20 participants, employed a cross-over design where subjects wore a face mask for 6 hours daily for 1 week, followed by a week without a mask. After a washout period, participants switched to the alternate condition for another week.

Although the overall number of bacterial colonies remained unchanged, there was a significant increase in Staphylococcus capitis on CL surfaces associated with mask use. In addition, sequencing found differences in bacterial composition across the sampled sites, though mask wear did not affect bacterial diversity or increase bacterial diversity within or between sites.

Despite these microbiological findings, mask use did not lead to noticeable differences in dry eye symptoms or contact lens discomfort, although there was an increase in ocular surface staining.

Reference
Ozkan J, Majzoub ME, Khan M, et al. The Effect of Face Mask Wear on the Ocular Surface and Contact Lens Microbiome. Eye Contact Lens. 2024;doi: 10.1097/ICL.0000000000001122. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39252208.