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Contact lenses can be incredibly convenient if you are someone who needs corrective lenses but hates having to worry about having glasses or sunglasses on hand. You simply put the contacts into your eyes at the beginning of the day and you can remove them whenever you wish; often at the end of the day before you head to bed. Millions of people use contacts as a way to improve their vision but there are some risks involved with wearing contacts whether it be once in awhile for a special event or every single day. Infection is just one problem that you can develop.
Causes of Contact Lens Issues
There are a number of reasons people will develop an infection or have problems with their contacts. It can be as simple as not washing your hands properly before touching your lenses or you may be using the wrong type of lens. Many people use extended wear lenses that can be left in the eye for days at a time (you do not need to remove them at the end of the day each day). The eye can become quite damaged this way and not a lot of doctors recommend this type of product. Some people have dry eye issues and when you place a contact on the surface of the eye, you can damage the eye. It can take time and diligence to correct this problem.
How To Prevent A Problem
When you obtain contact lenses for the first time it is likely that you eye care professional will spend some time with you, educating you on how to properly care for not only your lenses but also your eyes. You will learn how to properly clean your lenses using a rub and rinse process and you will learn about cleaning the lens case that you will be using. Properly inspecting your lens before placing it into your eye each day can prevent a corneal scratch or infection. Some other tips include:
-Washing your hands anytime you need to remove your lens or put them back in.
-Dry your hand on a lint free towel. You don’t want to introduce fabric fibers to your eyes or your lenses.
-Try not to come into direct contact with water while wearing your lenses. Plain water can dry out contact lenses, which is why you need to use specially formulated contact solution.
-Saline solution should never be used to clean your lenses. Storage in saline is fine, but there are special formulations for different uses.
-Clean your lens case each time you remove your lenses and leave it open to air dry for the duration of the day while you are wearing your lenses.
-Do not reuse solution in your contact lens case. Dump the used solution each day and refill it when you are going to be taking out your lenses.
-If you haven’t used your lenses in a number of days, you may want to clean them an additional time before using them.
Keep in mind, there are different types of lenses and each variation has its own method of being taken care of. Some lenses are designed to be worn once and then thrown away while others are long term lenses that are not thrown away unless they are damaged or defective. Follow your eye care professional’s advice and take care of your lenses how you were told to do so. If you have any questions or your contact lenses are no longer feeling comfortable like they normally do, seek attention from a doctor before continuing to wear your lenses.