AIM This study aimed to investigate the effect of scleral lens (SL) use on conjunctival microbiota. METHOD A total of 26 eyes of 26 patients using an SL and 25 eyes of 25 healthy controls were included in the study. The samples were obtained from the lower fornices of the eyes using sterile swabs. For the bacteriological examination, a bacterial culture was obtained by inoculating the samples on chocolate agar, blood agar, MacConkey agar, and fluid thioglycollate medium. After 24-48 h of incubation at 37 0C, the growth of different colonies of bacteria was identified using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (Bruker MALDI Biotyper). RESULTS The mean age of the study group was 41.6 ± 19.1 years (18-65); the mean age of the control group was 40 ± 6 (21-62) (p = 0.69). There were 10 male patients and 16 female patients in the study group and 9 male patients and 16 female patients in the control group (p = 0.86). The mean duration of SL use was 13.7 ± 13.4 months (1-42 months). No bacterial growth was observed in 17 (65.4 %) of the 26 eyes in the SL group and 5 (20 %) of the 25 eyes in the control group (p = 0.001). The most commonly observed microorganisms were Staphylococcus epidermidis (S.epidermidis) and Staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus) in both groups. CONCLUSION SL users were found to have a higher rate of culture negativity in comparison to the healthy controls, suggesting that SLs have a significant effect on conjunctival microbiota.

中文翻译：

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使用巩膜片对结膜微生物群的影响。

目的本研究旨在研究巩膜片（SL）对结膜菌群的影响。方法本研究共纳入26例使用SL的患者的26眼和25例健康对照的25眼。使用无菌拭子从眼睛的下部前额获得样品。对于细菌学检查，通过将样品接种在巧克力琼脂，血琼脂，MacConkey琼脂和液体巯基乙酸盐培养基上获得细菌培养物。在37 0C下孵育24-48小时后，使用基质辅助激光解吸/电离飞行时间质谱仪（Bruker MALDI Biotyper）鉴定了不同菌落的生长。结果研究组的平均年龄为41.6±19.1岁（18-65岁）。对照组的平均年龄为40±6（21-62）（p = 0.69）。研究组有10例男性患者和16例女性患者，对照组有9例男性患者和16例女性患者（p = 0.86）。使用SL的平均持续时间为13.7±13.4个月（1-42个月）。SL组26只眼中有17只（65.4％）未观察到细菌生长，而对照组25只眼中有5只（20％）未观察到细菌生长（p = 0.001）。两组中最常见的微生物是表皮葡萄球菌（S.epidermidis）和金黄色葡萄球菌（S.aureus）。结论发现SL使用者与健康对照组相比具有较高的培养阴性率，这表明SL使用者对结膜微生物群有显着影响。SL组26只眼中有17只（65.4％）未观察到细菌生长，而对照组25只眼中有5只（20％）未观察到细菌生长（p = 0.001）。两组中最常见的微生物是表皮葡萄球菌（S.epidermidis）和金黄色葡萄球菌（S.aureus）。结论发现SL使用者与健康对照组相比具有较高的培养阴性率，这表明SL使用者对结膜微生物群有显着影响。SL组26只眼中有17只（65.4％）未观察到细菌生长，而对照组25只眼中有5只（20％）未观察到细菌生长（p = 0.001）。两组中最常见的微生物是表皮葡萄球菌（S.epidermidis）和金黄色葡萄球菌（S.aureus）。结论发现SL使用者与健康对照组相比具有较高的培养阴性率，这表明SL使用者对结膜微生物群有显着影响。