Wearing contacts? Glance through these precautions!
Many people wear contact lenses to correct their vision. These lenses take away the inconvenience of wearing a pair of spectacles all day long. However, it’s important to know regarding the safety issues while wearing contact lenses.Doctors recommend that you go through the precautions for contact lens wearers before you start wearing them. This is to ensure that these lenses do not develop problems later on due to improper handling and usage. Remember, not adhering to the guidelines for contact lens usage can harm your eyes.Let’s take a look at the precautions for contact lens wearers –
10 Precautions to remember while using contact lenses
Don’t sleep with your contacts on
Sleeping with contacts on makes your eyes vulnerable to infection, especially the surface of the eye. This is because the lens will be pressed against the cornea, and can transfer germs into your eyes.
Remove them while swimming or showering
The water in swimming pools or your shower may contain bacteria called acanthamoeba. These bacteria can infect your eyes. Its symptoms are eye redness, eye pain, headaches and blurred vision.
Avoid using saline to disinfect the lenses
Note that saline solution is not a replacement for your regular lens solution. Neither does it clean, nor does it disinfect your contact lenses.
Are they bothering you? Take them out
If your contact lenses seem to bother you, then take them out. Even a small irritation can indicate an infection or other eye problems.
Reusing contact lens solution isn’t a good idea
Amongst all the precautions for contact lens wearers, this is one of the most important ones. The solution loses its ability to disinfect or clean the lenses after it has been used once. You should always use fresh solution to keep your lens clean.
Change your contact lenses periodically
Depending upon the type of contact lenses you are using, ensure that you don’t continue to use them after their recommended use-by date.
Wash your hands with soap before using contacts
Clean your hands with soap and dry them before handling your contacts.
Don’t wear the lens inside out
While putting your contacts on, ensure that you place the lens correctly. An easy way to determine this is to place the lens on your fingertip and observe its shape. If it looks like a ‘U’ with flared edges then it’s inside out. If it looks like a ‘U’ without any flared edges, then it’s in the correct position.
Be careful with eye makeup
Particles of eye makeup can get lodged between your contacts and eyes if you are not careful. This is why you should always wear your contact lenses and then put on eye makeup.
Store and clean your lenses carefully
Rinse and store the contact lenses in the contact lens solution provided. Keep the storage case of the lenses clean at all times.
Things to keep in mind before choosing contact lenses
- Will you wear them often? Depending on your choice, you can pick from soft contact lenses (both full-time or part-time use) or rigid gas permeable contacts (full-time use only).
- Can you keep them well-maintained? If you want to avoid disinfecting the lenses on a daily basis, don’t opt for contacts.
- Are your eyes always dry? Dry eyes can cause discomfort if you wear contacts. Discuss with your doctor to see if there are specialized contact lenses for your eyes.
Conclusion
Contact lenses are convenient and safe when used properly. Follow all the precautions for contact lens wearers, if you intend to use them. [av_promobox button='yes' label='Consult A Doctor on MediBuddy' link='https://www.medibuddy.in/?utm_source=blog_cta&utm_medium=blog' link_target='' color='blue' custom_bg='#f00' custom_font='#ffffff' size='large' icon_select='no' icon='ue800' font='entypo-fontello']Are you facing eye problems? Planning to get contact lenses? An expert can always help. For help regarding the same, consult a doctor through MediBuddy.[/av_promobox] Sources:
