Wearing contact lenses is convenient. It makes you more mobile and it allows you to engage in more physical activities like sports. However, it also comes with concomitant risks.
If you do decide to wear contact lenses, you should familiarize yourself with the risks that you might suffer from certain eye conditions. You should note that these conditions can develop very quickly and become very severe. In some cases, they can even lead to blindness.
Unfortunately over the years contact lenses have become commoditized. This means the general public uses them without much thought. This is very dangerous as contact lenses are medical devices that are placed on our most precious organs – our eyes!
If something is going wrong at the onset, you might not feel any symptoms or see any signs. Thus, you will not be able to realize how serious your condition is. If you begin to feel some discomfort while wearing your contact lenses, you should consult your eye doctor immediately to determine what causes your problem.
One of the most common things that patients do wrong is over-wear their contact lenses. If they are supposed to wear them for 2 weeks they will keep wearing them until they are uncomfortable. This is crazy as it is only asking for trouble.
Here are some conditions you need to be on the lookout for:
Corneal Ulcers
Corneal ulcers are open sores found in the outer layer of your cornea. They are normally caused by infections that may develop while you are wearing contact lenses. Here are some things you need to do in order to avoid infections and reduce the risk of developing corneal ulcers:
• After soaking your lens in the lens solution, make sure to throw away all of the used solution. You should never reuse your lens solution.
• You should replace the storage case of your lens every three to six months.
• Rub and rinse your lenses as advised by your eye doctor. You should strictly follow the cleaning and disinfecting instructions on your solution’s label.
• You should not expose your lenses to any other water apart from the solution you are using. Thus, you should never use non-sterile water to clean your lens. Distilled and tap water are associated with the corneal infection acanthamoeba keratitis which is resistant to cure and treatment.
• You should never wear your contact lenses while swimming due to the risk of eye infection from bacteria in hot tubs, oceans, sea and swimming pool water.
Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis, also called pink eye, is an eye condition characterized by the infection or inflammation of the conjunctiva or the membrane lining the eyelids. It is often accompanied by blurred vision, eye pain, gritty feeling in the eyes, excessive tearing, sensitivity to light and itchiness and redness of the eyes.
Corneal Abrasions
Corneal abrasions are scratches on the cornea of the eyes. The cornea is the clear and protective cover over the iris. Abrasions may occur when the eye is poked or when a foreign matter enters the eyes. It may also be due to aggressive rubbing of the eyes or wearing of poor-fitting or dirty contact lenses. Their symptoms are similar to those of conjunctivitis.
Eye Irritation
When you wear contact lenses, you are prone to suffer from eye infections or irritations. You may experience some discomfort and exhibit the symptoms of conjunctivitis. When you suffer from these symptoms, you should immediately do the following:
• Remove your lenses immediately. Keep them in your storage case.
• Have your eyes checked by your optometrist as soon as possible. Bring your lens so your optometrist can examine it to identify the cause of your symptoms.
Contact Lenses are a wonderful addition to your lifestyle if they are respected and cleaned and replaced properly.
Respect your contact lenses and they will respect you back.
