Are you tired of catching colds and constantly being exposed to germs? What if we told you that your contact lenses may help you predict your likelihood of catching a cold? That’s right, researchers have found that contact lenses can provide insight into a person’s immune system and their susceptibility to respiratory infections such as the common cold.

What Are Contact Lenses?

Contact lenses are thin, curved lenses worn on the cornea of the eye. They are used as a substitute for eyeglasses and provide the wearer with better vision.

Contact lenses come in various types such as soft lenses, rigid gas-permeable lenses, hybrid lenses, and scleral lenses. Soft lenses are the most common type of contact lenses with over 80% of contact lens wearers using them.

The Immune System and Respiratory Infections

Before we dive into how contact lenses can reveal the likelihood of catching a cold, let’s understand the immune system and its role in respiratory infections.

The immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that protect the body from infections and other diseases. The respiratory system includes the nose, throat, larynx, trachea, bronchi, and lungs. The immune system defends the respiratory system by identifying and eliminating harmful pathogens such as bacteria and viruses.

The common cold is a viral respiratory infection that affects the upper respiratory tract. It is a highly contagious infection that spreads easily through coughing, sneezing, or touching contaminated surfaces.

There are over 200 viruses that can cause the common cold, with the most common being the rhinovirus.

How Can Contact Lenses Help?

Recent studies have found that the microbiome of the eye, the collection of microorganisms that live on and within our bodies, is linked to the immune system and respiratory infections.

Researchers have found that the microbiomes of the airway and lungs are connected to the microbiome of the eye via the nasolacrimal duct, which is a tube that connects the eye to the nasal cavity. This means that changes in the microbiome of the eye may reflect changes in the respiratory system.

Furthermore, the eye has its own immune system that fights off infections. This immune system is different from the immune system in the rest of the body and is closely linked to the microbiome of the eye.

Contact lenses are placed directly on the eye, providing a unique opportunity to study the microbiome of the eye. Researchers have found that the microbiome of the eye changes in response to various factors such as age, diet, and medication.

Recent studies have found that changes in the microbiome of the eye may be linked to a person’s likelihood of catching a cold.

The Study

The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. The researchers analyzed the tear film of 81 participants using contact lenses.

The participants were healthy adults who were tested for signs of respiratory infections such as the common cold. The researchers collected the tear film from the participants’ contact lenses and analyzed the microbiome of the eye.

The researchers found that there was a significant link between the microbiome of the eye and the likelihood of catching a cold. Participants who had a higher diversity of microorganisms in the eye’s microbiome were less likely to catch a cold.

Furthermore, participants who had a lower diversity of microorganisms in the eye’s microbiome were more likely to catch a cold.

The researchers also found that certain microorganisms were associated with a higher risk of catching a cold. For example, the Streptococcus bacteria was associated with a higher risk of catching a cold.

Implications

The findings of this study have important implications for public health. By analyzing the microbiome of the eye, researchers may be able to predict a person’s likelihood of catching a cold.

This could lead to early intervention and prevention measures such as vaccinations and improved hygiene practices.

Furthermore, this study highlights the importance of overall health in preventing respiratory infections. A healthy microbiome in the eye may indicate a healthy immune system that is better equipped to fight off infections.

Therefore, maintaining overall health through a balanced diet, regular exercise, adequate rest, and reduced stress may also help prevent respiratory infections.

Conclusion

Overall, this study provides valuable insight into the link between the microbiome of the eye, the immune system, and respiratory infections.

By analyzing the tear film of contact lenses, researchers may be able to predict a person’s likelihood of catching a cold. This could lead to early intervention and prevention measures to reduce the spread of respiratory infections.

Furthermore, this study highlights the importance of overall health in preventing respiratory infections and the role of the microbiome in maintaining a healthy immune system.