Ophthalmology: O.K. for Contacts

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration had reassuring news last week for the 5,000,000 contact-lens wearers in the U.S., many of whom were fearful that something in the plastic might damage their eyes or even cause blindness. The scare originated a month ago with a report from a Boston ophthalmologist that he had tracked down 14 cases of blindness or near blindness among contact wearers and several hundred more of eye damage, all within three years. There was speculation that the damage might have come from impurities such as free acid in the methyl methacrylate plastic (akin to Plexiglas) used for the lenses.

Winton B. Rankin, an FDA spokesman, told a special Senate subcommittee that the agency had found no evidence that such impurities are to blame; for safety's sake the FDA is continuing its investigation. There is no doubt, however, that some wearers of contact lenses suffer eye damage from other causes. Explained Rankin: "It appears that the principal difficulty arises from improper fitting, insanitary practices by the wearer, or wearing the lenses too long at a time." On that, optometrists and ophthalmologists, who have differed sharply over the fitting of contacts, were for once in agreement.