Contact lenses are great for people who are either uncomfortable with glasses or are reluctant about a change in their look. However, a contact lens user needs to be more careful than someone who uses basic glasses. They require extra care and precautions. Doing so would prevent damage as well as infections in the eye. If you already wear contact lenses, you must already be aware of care and precautions. However, below are five things to never forget if you wear contact lenses or are considering them.
Did you know! Neary 30-45 million people use contact lenses and two-thirds are females
1. Sleeping – Never sleep with your contact lenses on. It increases the risk of eye infections (bacterial keratitis) by 4-5 times. No matter how tired you are after a long day, always remove our contact lenses before going to bed.
2. Makeup – Always wear contact lenses before wearing makeup. Avoid heavy mascara and always go for cream-based eye shadow. Plus, avoid applying anything to the waterline. Do not forget to remove your contact lenses before removing your makeup. Use clean brushes and always check the ingredients of your products.
3. Change liquid – Change the solution of your lens case as advised by your doctor. Also, never top off fresh solution on the old one. Keep your case clean. Dirty cases and old solution are the major causes of infections in contact lens users. Experts believe that taking care of your case is as important as that of the lenses themselves!
Did you know! Approximately 1 million users visit the doctor suffering from keratitis every year in the US, at the cost of $175 million to the US healthcare system.
4. Swimming – Your contact lenses should never come in contact with water. Avoid wearing lenses while swimming. However, if you must, then use goggles on top of that. There are special lenses available for swimming however, they need to be discarded after every use.
5. Spare glasses – Always keep a pair of spare glasses handy. They will be useful if you catch an infection, if your lens solution bottle gets empty or simply if you’re running late and have no time for lenses.
Did you know! 1 in 500 people are affected by blindness due to infections.
Prevention is always better than cure. It is best to be a little extra careful than suffer due to negligence. However, in case of an emergency, always consult with your ophthalmologist without delay.
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