Contact Lenses Hygiene Is Essential for the User

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has conducted a study which found that 99 percent of people who wear contact lenses disregard the hygiene routine associated with these, which could lead to eye infections. It might be a serious issue if you neglect disinfecting them.

It is highly recommended that you empty the lens cases and fill them with fresh disinfecting solution each time you take out the contacts. But 55 percent of wearers would fill up the case with more solution instead of disposing of it in the first place. Moreover, the cases should be replaced with new ones periodically, as germs that attack the lenses might gather on them.

Statistics show that approximately 41 million Americans wear contact lenses. But people should be really careful with how they fulfill their required routine of contact lens care, so that they don’t put their eyes in danger.

The CDC released this study to the general public on Thursday. It revealed that almost all contact lens users ignore at least one safety procedure that may lead to an increased risk of eye infection. According to Thomas Steinemann, spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology, blindness might also be the worst issue contact lens users could possibly face.

The CDC’s report was conducted on 1,000 subjects that casually wear contact lenses. The good news was that approximately 93 percent said they were used to wearing soft contacts, made of flexible plastic materials, which allowed oxygen to reach the cornea.

The bad news, according to Steinemann, was that even though the contacts are made from porous materials, they still act as a barrier and do not permit enough oxygen to reach the eyes.

The FDA considered that some contact lens variants are suitable for overnight wear, but the CDC states that sleeping with whatever types of contacts is bad, because this increases the risk of eye inflammation. Nevertheless, Steinmann explained that sleeping with contact lenses is to be avoided, because it is the safest course of action.

Taking into consideration at least one safety lapse for every participant, it seems that one third reported and sought medical assistance for eye pain or red eye conditions. Health experts from the CDC explained that these issues might have been prevented if the user would have taken all the necessary safety precautions, and would have respected the contact lenses care routine thoroughly.

On the other hand, 99 percent of the survey participants did admit to have treated contact hygiene without the proper attention at least once, which might have increased eye inflammation in these subjects.

The report revealed that the majority of contact lens users, adults and teenagers alike, tend to disregard contact cleaning procedures and that this could lead to increased risks of painful and costly eye infections.

It seems that 87 percent of the study participants said that they had fallen asleep wearing the contacts. Therefore, this was considered to be their gravest mistake.

Some 85 percent of the participants reported having showered while wearing contacts, and 61 percent to having swam with them, despite the heath warnings that state that it is imperative that the lenses do not come in contact with water.

Those who rinse their contacts with water instead of their special solution ought to know that, according to health experts, tap water is not sterile and may cause eye infections.

Some tips have been issued on how to use the contacts safely, including replacing them after their “lifetime” use expired.

You should prevent the lenses from coming in contact with water at all costs and you should not sleep with contacts on. Furthermore, you should change the cases every three months and use fresh disinfecting solution to refill them daily.

Jennifer Cope, lead author of the study, concluded that the overall well being of those who use contact lenses greatly relies on the effort they put into their hygiene ritual every day.

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