Preclinical research to aid in the development of test methods for contact lenses and their care products

Although contact lenses and their care products have been in the marketplace for decades the FDA continues to evaluate how they are working in "real world" patient care and to develop and revise methods to enhance their safety. FDA's past and current endeavors in the evolving landscape of contact lenses and their products have spanned from communicating with consumers and providers to conducting research to better understand these products. By creating a more informed consumer, closing the gaps in premarket microbial testing, and understanding the intricate interactions between lenses and their products, the FDA and its partners will be better able to assist in preventing future infectious keratitis outbreaks associated with contact lenses and their care products.