While in the past there have been some rumblings of discontent about direct contact with the public, especially contact lens trial offers, the latest rise in optical temperatures has been caused by fears over the content of a proposed consumer campaign. The big-spend campaign in question is set to follow on from Alcon's latest trade advertising for its multipurpose solution Opti-Free express, which highlights Acanthamoeba keratitis in no uncertain terms. Focusing on what is a serious but relatively uncommon condition in advertising to the profession may be acceptable and Alcon is not alone in this - although there is another separate argument based on claims for the solution (Letters, pages 12-13). It was the prospect of raising awareness of Acanthamoeba keratitis among contact lens wearers, however, that led to the voicing of concern. To date, the reaction sparked by the as yet unseen campaign has come from competitive solutions suppliers, yet it is highly unlikely that use of Acanthamoeba keratitis in any consumer promotion would be welcomed by contact lens manufacturers, whose time and money are put into developing materials and lens-wearing modalities that best suit the ocular needs of the end-user. The storm created on the belief that such a campaign was going to the consumer demonstrates the fine line between keeping the public informed about the potential risks of contact lens wear and creating yet another health scare.