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99 percent of contact lens wearers must have done at least one of the following habits, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC US). It seems trivial, but is at high risk for serious eye infections if it is continually allowed. Try checking whether you are also one of them?
1. Use contact lenses for too long
This is the most common habit. One reason is comfort and do not want to bother going back and forth to buy a new one or going to the bathroom to replace it.
If used over a period of time, contact lenses can adversely affect the cornea (the outermost layer of the eye). Although the contact lens layer is made porous to make it easier for oxygen to be absorbed into the cornea, the cornea still needs sufficient oxygen intake to keep the eyes moist when the contact lens is removed.
Contact lenses, especially the soft type, create warm and humid temperatures for microorganisms such as bacteria, germs, fungi, and parasites can multiply. The longer you use contact lenses, these bad microorganisms will begin to eat away at your cornea as food intake.
2. Sleep does not remove contact lenses
When your eyes are closed, the warm ecosystem that has been created by contact lenses during your day of activity will increase; the activity of germs and bacteria will be even more active.
In addition, contact lenses can also cause scratches on the cornea as a result of continuing to shift during your sleep.
Sleeping with contact lenses is the main cause of corneal ulcers, a type of eye infection that is very painful and difficult to treat. In certain severe cases, corneal ulcers can result in permanent blindness and require a corneal transplant as the only way out to regain normal vision.
3. Carelessly keep contact lenses
One of the biggest mistakes made by users of contact lenses is negligence in following the instructions carefully.
Every contact lens manufacturer on the market will include complete instructions about how to properly store and disinfect. The instructions for each brand may be different, however, if you ignore these instructions, you might damage your contact lens. In fact, it is possible to make you more vulnerable to severe eye infections.
Cleaning and disinfection of contact lenses is not the only thing that you should always pay attention to. When you place your clean and sterile contact lenses in a dirty place, microorganisms that have already settled on the sidelines of your contact lens can move to the lens and infect your eyes when you use them later.
4. Mixing contact lens fluids
When you refill the contact lens with a new liquid without removing the used liquid before, you will refine the disinfectant liquid and reduce its effectiveness.
In addition, the longer you leave disinfectant solutions in the contact lens area, the more fertile bacteria and germs multiply.
Therefore, it is important to always sterilize and rub your contact lens with a special disinfectant recommended by your optics. After that, dry the place of your contact lens thoroughly with a clean cloth that is not fibrous and winds up with your face down. Then, add new liquid every time you put in contact lenses. Change your storage routine every three months to maintain sterility.
5. Rinse contact lenses with tap water or eye drops
Maybe you have done this once or twice when you run out of disinfectant at home, or have forgotten to bring a backup while traveling.
Tap water contains bacteria (which attaches to the end of the tap and may be carried by the flow of water), besides it also contains amoeba which can cause Acanthamoeba keratitis, a serious eye infection that is difficult to treat. This eye condition creates inflammation in your cornea and causes defects and vision.
Eye drops are commonly used routinely by contact lens users to relieve reddish eyes, but the content in eye drug solutions will make it difficult for you to know what the exact causes of irritation you experience when using contact lenses. Use drops targeted specifically for contact lenses and make sure the product is preservative free.
There is one quick solution for those of you who don't want to bother with all the routine of cleaning contact lenses: disposable contact lenses. After a day of activities using contact lenses, you can immediately throw it away before going to bed. New contact lenses every morning will be more ideal for your situation. One disadvantage is that spending on disposable contact lenses will be more wasteful.
6. Bathe and swim using contact lenses
The reason is the same as rinsing your contact lenses with tap water: Acanthamoeba keratitis.
If you really need contact lenses during swimming, immediately remove contact lenses after you get out of the pool and wash your hands thoroughly. Discard the contact lenses, or rinse thoroughly and sterilize for one night before reusing.
7. Use colored contact lenses, without prescription
This is common in colored contact lenses that are used only for beauty purposes, not to aid vision. These colorful contact lenses you can easily get at accessories outlets in shopping malls or supermarkets.
"Actually, it's illegal to sell cosmetic contact lenses without including an official assessment and examination by an ophthalmologist," said Thomas Steinemann, M.D., professor at Case Western Reserve University.
The reason, the size and shape of your cornea are some of the determinants of contact lenses that you should use. If the size of the lens does not meet the needs of your eyes, the lens can shift and rub the cornea, causing minor scratches as the main gate for bacteria to infiltrate into the eye.
If you want to wear colorful contact lenses, the smallest step you can do is buy it at a licensed optical store. Professional optics can advise you on the types of fashionable and trendy contact lenses that are right for your eyes, even if you don't really need prescription contact lenses.
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