Avoid These Contact Lens Mistakes

Contact lenses are effective and among the safest solutions for corrective eyewear available. The number of contact lens wearers keeps rising as they are comfortable, convenient, and affordable.

Studies show that around 40 million individuals in the United States are contact lens wearers. But out of every 500 of them, one experiences infection. If left untreated, the conditions can result in severe damage. For example, keratitis, a cornea infection, can result in blindness. 

Wearing and correctly handling contact lenses can be very helpful. If you are considering wearing contacts, here are some of the mistakes you should avoid for the best results.

Leaving Them in Too Long

Wearing your contacts for longer than you should, might make you feel uncomfortable. Ideally, stick to the plan recommended by your specialist at Family Eye Clinic. Studies show that 50 percent of people who wear dispensable contacts wear them for longer than recommended.

Your cornea needs oxygen to remain healthy. Wearing your contacts for long deprives them of oxygen. Contact lenses cannot allow oxygen to reach the eyes as needed despite them being gas porous. 

They can even breed and flourish fungi, parasites, and bacteria. Therefore, leaving them in for an extended time increases the risk of such microorganisms entering the cornea and damaging it.

Sleeping With Contacts

Most contact lenses are for wearing during the day. Extended wear contact lenses also risk infection if you do not remove them once a week. Leaving your contacts on during the night can cause corneal inflammation and neovascularization due to the lack of oxygen reaching the cornea. You can also suffer severe red-eye if you sleep with your contact lenses.

Cleaning Your Contacts Incorrectly

Cleaning your contact lenses is vital in taking care of them. However, how you clean them is what makes all the difference. Various protocols are necessary to help you effectively remove debris and bacteria from the lenses. Below is the proper way to clean your contacts:

 

• Handle your contacts with washed and dried hands to avoid contaminating them with bacteria.
   

• Squirt some fresh contact solution on your hands.
   

• Use your pointer finger and thumb to rub your contact lens between them, and avoid touching the lenses with your fingernails. Following this step is vital as the friction removes bacteria.
   

• Finally, wash your hands using soap and water. 

Contact lenses come with different care instructions depending on their type. However, these steps help maintain their health.

Using the Same Solution So Many Times

Most people use the same contact lens solution for many nights, causing it to host harmful bacteria. The longer the bacteria stay in the reused solution, the more they grow. Ideally, clean your case and change your contact lens solution daily. You can also replace your contact lens case every three to four months to avoid increasing the risk of bacteria.

Wearing Contact Lenses in Water or the Shower

Getting into the shower, swimming pool, hot tub, and any other water body with your contacts on can harm your eyes. Water contains amoebas and bacteria that can harm your eyes if not thoroughly disinfected. For example, a disease like Acanthamoeba keratitis that shows up mostly in hot tubs can enter your contact lenses and cause vision loss or blindness.

If you happen to shower with your contact lenses on, keep your eyes shut as much as possible. If water gets in contact with your lenses, clean them as soon as possible.

For more about contact lenses, visit Family Eye Clinic at our office in Midlothian, Texas. You can also call (972) 775-8000 to book an appointment today.