For the longest time I thought this was “The Andromeda Strain” (1971) .

Some scientists were trying to study/stop a viral contagion in a military base, but one of them studying it was wearing contact lenses, which harbored the virus and ended up spreading outside the base.  The grim point at the end was made that so much caution was given to prevent the spread, but one of the workers neglected to mention the contacts.

I think it was a ’70s era American movie, tho I don’t recall any of the stars.  It was on TV and in color.

Google searches didn’t help.