Is LASIK Safer than Contacts?

Some studies have shown that LASIK can be up to five times safer than contacts* due to lens-related eye infections over long-term use. There are quite a few “human” errors that may account for many of the complications from contact lenses.

If you wear contacts, you were probably instructed by your eye doctor about the proper way to care for your contacts. But do you really remember all of that advice? Take a minute to read through this list and audit your own contact lens habits. Do you follow every one of these recommendations?

• Follow the usage instructions of your contacts implicitly; don’ t wear contacts longer than they are meant to be worn – this can lead to infection
• Don’t sleep in contacts; this will further deprive your eyes of oxygen
• Replace your lens case every three months, even if you wash it regularly, to avoid bacteria build-up
• Keep tap water (from sinks or even showers) and chlorinated water (from swimming pools) away from your lenses; these water sources are not sterile and may lead to infection
• Wash your lens case regularly with cleaning solution (not tap water), but make sure you allow it to dry completely before closing it
• Never reuse contact cleaning solutions; yesterday’s solution probably has bacteria in it and you don’t want your lenses soaking in a dirty solution today
• Never use your own spit to clean lenses; your saliva is riddled with bacteria
• Avoid buying cheap lens cleaning solutions; you should ask your doctor what the best cleaning solution is for your unique eyes to avoid having eye sensitivities
• Throw away old contact lenses and old cleaning solutions; check expiration dates to avoid the risk of infection
• Don’t wear contacts if your eyes are irritated or if the contact appears damaged; this can lead to infection or a scratched cornea
• Wash your hands before putting in your contacts
• Avoid waterproof makeup; it can stick to your lenses

If this list raised some red flags for you regarding your contact lens usage, it might be time to consider LASIK to correct your nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism. At Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery we offer LASIK vision correction in Charleston, South Carolina to help our patients reduce or even eliminate the need for contact lenses.

Contact us today at 843-856-5275 or charlestoncornea.com to schedule your free LASIK Consultation. It might just help the overall health of your eyes and help you live a lens-free life.

* Sources: Mathers, W.D. Archives of Ophthalmology, October 2006; vol 124: pp 1510-1511. William Mathers, MD, professor of ophthalmology, Oregon Health & Science University Casey Eye Institute, Portland, OR.