Acanthamoeba Keratitis Eye Foundation

26/05/2026

𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐊 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲

We’re sharing an important opportunity for AK Warriors, family members, close friends, and caregivers to take part in a new research project that aims to better understand what living with Acanthamoeba Keratitis is really like.

This study is being conducted by Dereje Hayilu Anbesse from UNSW Sydney, under the supervision of A/Prof. Nicole White Carnt. It focuses on 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥‑𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐊— not just the medical side, but the emotional, financial, and day‑to‑day challenges that so many of you know firsthand.

Your experience may help improve future care and support for people with AK, and this research is designed to make sure those experiences are finally heard and recognised.

𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭?
Anyone diagnosed with AK (2015–2027)
Family members, partners, close friends, or caregivers who supported someone through AK
Eye‑care professionals involved in AK care

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐝?
A short screening
A 45‑minute online interview (Zoom or Teams)
Everything you share is confidential and handled only by the UNSW research team

𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤:
🔗 https://redcap.link/AKIDI

If you’d like more information, you can contact Dereje Hayilu Anbesse directly at:
📧 [email protected]

The Acanthamoeba Keratitis Eye Foundation is helping share this study so that the voices of our community — your voices — can help shape better care and better understanding for future AK patients.

Thank you to everyone who chooses to take part or share this with others. Your experiences truly matter.

08/05/2026

👁️✨ Contact Lens Safety Matters — Protect Your Eyes

We’ve created simple, clear Contact Lens Safety Tips to help every lens wearer reduce the risk of serious infections like Acanthamoeba Keratitis.

These tips are free to read and download on our website — now available in English and Italian, with additional languages coming soon (Spanish, Arabic, German, French, Dutch, Polish).

https://akeyefoundation.com/contact-lens-user/

Education saves sight.
Let’s protect our eyes together.

06/03/2026

𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐀𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞: 𝐈𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐋𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞 🇮🇹

The Acanthamoeba Keratitis Eye Foundation is committed to empowering contact lens users with clear, reliable, and accessible information.

We’re proud to share our updated 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐋𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞 (𝐈𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐄𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧) — created to help prevent avoidable infections and promote safer lens habits.

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬:
• Essential hygiene practices
• Safe lens handling and storage
• Warning signs you should never ignore
• When to seek medical care
• Tips to reduce the risk of serious eye infections like Acanthamoeba Keratitis

📘 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞:
https://akeyefoundation.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/IT-Contact-Lens-Safety-Guide-AK-Eye-Foundation-2026.pdf

A special thank‑you to Fabrizio Scotti for supporting this resource and helping us reach more contact lens users across Italy. Your support truly makes a difference.

Let’s continue raising awareness and protecting vision together.

28/02/2026

Today, on 𝐑𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐲, we’re shining a light on 𝐀𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐞𝐛𝐚 𝐊𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐬 (𝐀𝐊)

“𝐑𝐚𝐫𝐞” doesn’t mean invisible — and it doesn’t mean safe. 𝐀𝐊 𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐬. It is 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐝𝐞𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞‑𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠… 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞.

No one should 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 from something that 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝

Protect your eyes. Know the risks.

Visit our website for 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭, 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬, 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐬, and 𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐀𝐊. - www.akeyefoundation.com

28/02/2026

Today, on 𝐑𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐲, we’re shining a light on 𝐀𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐞𝐛𝐚 𝐊𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐬 (𝐀𝐊)

“𝐑𝐚𝐫𝐞” doesn’t mean invisible — and it doesn’t mean safe. 𝐀𝐊 𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐬. It is 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐝𝐞𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞‑𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠… 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞.

No one should 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 from something that 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝

Protect your eyes. Know the risks.

Visit our website for 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭, 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬, 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐬, and 𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐀𝐊.

www.akeyefoundation.com

25/02/2026

Interesting to know

Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) is a rare but potentially sight-threatening corneal infection, most commonly associated with contact lens use, and frequently misdiagnosed due to its nonspecific early clinical presentation. Standard treatment regimens are prolonged and often limited by ocular surface tox...

25/02/2026

𝐀 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐎𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐊 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞

Sharing an important and uplifting case report for our Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) community.

📄 Article: Successful Treatment of Acanthamoeba Keratitis Using 0.08% Polyhexamethylene Biguanide Monotherapy: A Report of a Case in Latin America

📰 Source: Cureus Journal of Medical Science

✍️ Authors: Astrid Pabon • Ivanna Agustina Lavagna • Erik Daniel Paredes Morales • Samantha Vanessa Duran Alvarez • Norka Sánchez

🔗 Link: https://www.cureus.com/articles/462123-successful-treatment-of-acanthamoeba-keratitis-using-008-polyhexamethylene-biguanide-monotherapy-a-report-of-a-case-in-latin-america #!/

Every time a new AK case report shows a positive outcome, it gives our community something incredibly valuable: hope backed by evidence. This article is one of those moments.

As someone who has walked this road and now advocates for patients worldwide, I find this case powerful, encouraging, and deeply meaningful. It reminds us that progress is happening — even if slowly — and that better, simpler, more accessible treatments may be possible.

𝐌𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞

A patient with confirmed Acanthamoeba keratitis was successfully treated using 0.08% PHMB monotherapy — meaning one medication, not the usual combination therapy.

The patient showed steady clinical improvement and ultimately full resolution of the infection.

This case adds to the growing body of evidence that higher‑strength PHMB may be effective on its own in certain situations.

It’s especially important for regions where access to multiple anti‑amoebic medications is limited.

While it’s only one case, it contributes to a broader conversation about simplifying AK treatment protocols and improving global accessibility.

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬

For many AK patients, treatment is long, painful, and emotionally exhausting. Seeing documented success — especially with a single medication — brings a sense of optimism, possibility, and momentum.

We still have a long way to go, but every piece of evidence like this helps push the field forward.

Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) is a rare but potentially sight-threatening corneal infection, most commonly associated with contact lens use, and frequently misdiagnosed due to its nonspecific early clinical presentation. Standard treatment regimens are prolonged and often limited by ocular surface tox...

14/02/2026

🔎 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐑𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐊 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐞𝐧

🟦 𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐑𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡, a global effort to bring visibility to conditions that are often overlooked, under‑researched, and frequently misdiagnosed.

One of these conditions is 𝐀𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐞𝐛𝐚 𝐊𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐬 (𝐀𝐊) — a rare, severe eye infection that can lead to significant vision loss if not recognized early.

𝐀𝐊 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜. It’s an infection that can be contracted, particularly by contact lens wearers or individuals with eye trauma. Despite its seriousness, 𝐀𝐊 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐠𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐮𝐩 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐬 and many patients struggle to access appropriate treatment.

🎯 Our goal this month is simple:

• 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬
• 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠
• 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝

Through this carousel, we aim to highlight key facts about AK and provide access to reliable information and community support. By raising awareness, we can help reduce misdiagnosis, empower patients, and contribute to better outcomes worldwide.

🔗 To learn more or connect with the AK community, please visit our website www.akeyefoundation.com or scan the QR codes included in the post.

Educate. Empower. Improve AK care worldwide.

26/01/2026

📄 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐀𝟒 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐋𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞

I’m pleased to share our new A4 Contact Lens Safety Guide from the Acanthamoeba Keratitis Eye Foundation — created for contact lens users to keep at home and follow simple, essential habits that protect their eyes and reduce the risk of serious infections.

A special thank‑you to Dr. Thomas Steinemann for his valuable input and continued commitment to patient safety.

Feel free to share this resource with your family, friends, patients, students, athletes, or community. Clear information saves sight.

𝗡𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗴𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗔𝗞 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸𝘀. 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱:https://akeyefoundation.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Contact-Lens-Safety-Guide-AK-Eye-Foundation.pdf

14/01/2026

Hopeful News for Anyone Living With Very Low Eye Pressure (Hypotony)

A new BBC report highlights a breakthrough treatment that may help people whose eyes have been damaged by very low eye pressure — a condition that can cause the eye to lose its shape and vision to decline.

Researchers at Moorfields Eye Hospital UK are testing a gel‑based eye injection that helped restore vision in most patients in an early study. For conditions that previously had almost no effective treatments, this is genuinely encouraging progress.

For many people living with the aftermath of Acanthamoeba Keratitis, fungal keratitis, or other severe corneal infections, long‑term complications like hypotony can be devastating. Seeing research move forward gives real hope that new options may be coming.

🔗 https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c89qyv98lzdo

Nicki's eye had collapsed in on itself, but a new gel injection method has saved her vision.