Are Contact Lenses Safe?
May 14, 2009
Are Contact Lenses Safe?
When people think of contact lenses, they think about sticking their finger in their eye. “Doesn’t this cause damage?” “Don’t you get eye infections?” These are just a couple of question often asked about contact lens use.
Contact lenses, used and cared for properly, should contain no risk to the eye. Some of the important rules with contact lens care are:
Only wear the contact lenses fitted for your eyes.
Different contact lenses sit differently on the eye. When your optometrist chooses the correct lens for your eyes, they take this into account. If the lens sits on the eye too tight, it can cut off the oxygen supply to the cornea at the front of your eye. If the lens sits on the eye too loose, it can move around excessively, being uncomfortable and irritating the eye.
Don’t overwear your contact lenses.
Some contact lenses are designed to be slept in but not all contact lenses. Different lenses are made of different materials. Some provide extra oxygen to allow extended wearing times while others are designed for extra comfort or extra moisture. Always check with your optometrist if you are able to sleep in your lenses before you do! Some lenses you can only sleep in occassionally, not every night, some lenses you can leave in continuously for up to a month and others you can only wear for 8-12 hours while you’re awake. Sleeping in lenses which do not have adequate oxygen transmissibility, can lead to oxygen deprivation of the cornea causing damage.
Disposable lenses must be replaced on a regular basis.
Most contact lenses these days are disposable and must be discarded after a certain amount of wear. Daily lenses are designed to be worn and discarded on the same day. Fortnightly lenses are designed to be worn for 14 days before they are discarded. Monthly lenses are designed to be worn for 30 days before being discarded. Always make sure you know how often your lenses need replacing. The quality of the contact lenses deteriorates the more the lenses are worn, hence if you wear them for longer than they are designed, the oxygen permeability of the lens may become reduced or the moisture levels may drop.
Care of your lens case.
Every time you insert your contact lenses discard the old disinfecting solution from the case and rinse the case thoroughly with hot water and leave the open case to air dry. Every 3-6 months replace your contact lens case with a new one. Often a new lens case is enclosed when you purchase contact lens multipurpose solutions. By routinely caring for and replacing your contact lens case, you can dramatically help reduce the risk of ocular infection and irritation.
Don’t wear your contact lenses swimming.
If you have to wear your contact lenses for swimming, make sure you always close your eyes when you are under water or wear goggles. Swimming in still water, like lakes or dams, can be especially dangerous with contact lenses. The contact lenses can absorb the water, including the microbes found in the water, sucking dangerous bacteria into direct contact with the cornea and holding it there. This can cause serious infections.
As long as these simple rules are followed, contact lens use is very safe. Millions of people around the world wear contact lenses everyday without any problems.
