It’s true, that many people enjoy the convenience of soft contact lenses, but physicians warn that long term wear and poor hygiene may lead to a number of eye diseases and illnesses. The warning is especially important for people who use extended wear lenses.
To name a few outlined contact lens injuries and ways how you can prevent eye injuries.
1. Conjunctivitis, the most common eye disease, is inflammation of the mucous membrane lining the eyelid and part of the eyeball. It results from poor hygiene and affects ten percent of soft contact lens wearers each year.
There are many types of conjunctivitis, but generally, symptoms include irritation, itching, puffiness, burning and mucous discharges. You may have the sensation of a foreign body in the eye and may awake with swollen eyelids and matted eyelashes. The infection may start in one eye and quickly move to the other. Proper hygiene will prevent conjunctivitis. Your eye doctor will probably remind you of the importance of soaking lenses in enzymatic solution every week to kill bacteria.
2. Corneal abrasions or scratches usually occurs when inserting or removing lenses. Symptoms include irritation, redness, pain and tearing.
Physicians prescribe antibiotic drops or ointment to use for four or five days until symptoms disappear.
3. Corneal ulcers. Trauma, underlying eye disease, and contact lens use are the three principal causes of bacterial corneal ulcers, which may cause permanent scarring and blindness if an ulcer erupts. According to statistics, there are seven thousand people suffer corneal ulcers each year, and the number will increase as more people try extended-wear lenses.
The disease comes on quickly. Symptoms include pain, discharge, diminished vision, eyelid swelling and sensitivity to light. Physicians treat corneal ulcer with topical antibiotics, a cream or ointment, until the infection clears up. Some patients need hospitalization for further antibiotic treatment, and corneal transplants may be necessary if scarring is permanent
4. Keratitis, is another form of corneal ulcer, caused by resistant bacteria that contaminate homemade saline solutions and contact lens cases. People who wear soft contact lenses overnight are ten to fifteen times more likely to get keratitis than daily wearers. Long term wear cuts off the eye’s oxygen supply, causing cells on the surface to die and form an ulcer, which may become infected.
Keratitis becoming more common because the use of extended wear lenses is increasing. Symptoms include pain, sensitivity to light and some may loss vision. Often, patients do not respond to early treatment. Keratitis is difficult to treat because the bacteria can transform itself into antibiotic resistant forms. Corneal transplant are often necessary, and even after transplantation, the infection may recur.
Now here are some tips on preventing contact lens injury:
1. Practice good hygiene. Wash your hands before inserting your lenses, and use sterile, commercially prepared saline solution. Follow disinfection guidelines, and never use homemade preparations. If you have extend wear lenses, remove them at least every seven days for cleaning, some physicians recommend cleaning extended wear lenses every day.
2. It may be best not to wear your lenses overnight.
3. If your eyes are irritated, don’t wear your lenses.
4. If you have pain, eyelid swelling or a discharge, go see your eye doctor.