Contact lenses are a reliable source of clear vision for many – they offer the opportunity to swap your glasses for a more convenient, comfortable and stylish alternative.
However, with the freedom that contact lenses provide comes the responsibility to care for them properly. From cleaning and storing them correctly to avoiding risky habits like sleeping in them, ensuring your lenses are well-maintained is crucial to keeping your eyes healthy and your vision sharp. So, whether you're travelling, playing sports, or simply going about your daily routine, remember that with great sight comes great responsibility!
Daily Care
Consistency and routine are your best friends when it comes to contact lens wear. Each time you handle your contact lenses, they are exposed to bacteria and particles which can lead to infection and discomfort.
Our top tips for optimal contact lens management:
- Always wash your hands thoroughly prior to touching your eyes or contact lenses.
- Never use water as an alternative to contact lens solution as the water is not sterile and can contain bacteria that can cause serious eye infections.
- Follow wear instructions – wearing contacts beyond their recommended lifespan increases the risk of irritation and infection. Over time, lenses accumulate protein deposits and other debris, which can reduce their effectiveness and comfort.
On The Move
For those with an active lifestyle, whether through sports or travel, contact lenses are often a superior choice over glasses. Offering a wider field of vision, no fogging and eliminating the risk of them falling off during activities, contacts are a convenient alternative for anyone constantly on the move.
- Choose the right lenses for an active lifestyle. Daily disposable lenses are often the best option, they’re hygienic as you discard following each use, minimising the risk of eye infections from sweat, dirt and dust.
- Pack extra lenses and travel-size contact lens solution. It is also wise to bring a pair of glasses along if the alternative is needed.
- Avoid water exposure. Swimming with contact lenses has significantly more risk than people know, due to the potential for bacterial contamination. If you have no alternative, please ensure to wear watertight goggles to keep your eyes safe, wear daily disposables and discard them immediately after swimming.
Whether you're crushing a workout, running a marathon or exploring new destinations: an active lifestyle with contact lenses must have a foundation of care and preparation.
Overnight Wear
Leaving daily contact lenses in overnight poses a massive threat to your eye health. A corneal infection called microbial keratitis is one of the most serious complications that can emerge from sleeping in contact lenses – it is a painful condition that can lead to inflammation, swelling and in some cases, permanent vision damage if not treated quickly.
Even extended wear should be worn with caution. Yes, they allow more oxygen to reach your eyes, but compared to removing your lenses each night, the risk of complication is much higher.
Conclusion
Caring for your contact lenses isn’t difficult, but it does require a consistent and mindful routine. By following the guidelines in this blog, you can significantly reduce your risk of eye infections, irritation and long-term complications.
For those looking to eliminate these risks altogether, alternatives like LASIK surgery offer a permanent and cost-effective solution. LASIK not only enhances convenience but also significantly lowers the chance of complications and infections.
This modern day vision correction option can not only correct your eye prescription to 25x the accuracy of contact lenses, but reduce your infection risk by 4 times per year of wear from daily wear lenses and 20 times per year of wear from extended or overnight wear lenses, but also reduce the harmful effects they can have on the environment.*[1]
Whether you choose contact lenses or vision correction, the commitment to eye health starts with you.
[1] Infective Keratitis after Laser Vision Correction: Incidence and Risk Factors; Shallhorn et al; J Cataract Refract Surgery 2017; 43: 473-479.
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