Dangers of Improper Contact Lens Care

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released a report showing there are almost one million doctor visits in the United States every year for eye infections due to improper contact lens care.

It is estimated that 38 million Americans wear contact lenses. While contacts in Charleston, South Carolina, can provide improved vision for people who are nearsighted, farsighted or have astigmatism, you must follow proper hygiene steps to avoid eye infections.

Keratitis is the condition that can occur with poor contact lens care. It occurs when the cornea becomes infected with fungi, bacteria or other microbes, leading to pain, inflammation, scarring and vision disturbances…even blindness.

Avoid Eye Infections with Proper Contact Lens Care

If you don’t wear or care for your contacts properly, your risk of Charleston, South Carolina, eye infection (keratitis) increases. Here are some tips to follow when using contacts:

·         Always have super clean hands before touching contacts in or out of your eyes

·         Never clean contacts with tap water or saliva – there are millions of bacteria in your mouth and tap water can be teeming with bacteria and microorganisms that can lead to serious infections

·         Use a fresh batch of the proper disinfecting solution every time – certain types of bacteria can live in cleaning solution for over 4 hours

·         Clean and dry your contact lens case with the proper solution after each use; replace the case every 3 months

·         Do not sleep in contact lenses unless approved by your doctor

·         Do not swim or shower in contact lenses

·         Always have an extra pair of glasses to wear, in case you need to remove your contacts

If you love your appearance with contact lenses (as opposed to glasses), you need to invest time each day to care for and wear them the right way. If you rate your “Contact Lens Hygiene” low, but you don’t like wearing glasses, maybe LASIK in Charleston, South Carolina, is a better way to go!

LASIK vision correction at Charleston Cornea and Refractive Surgery may help you achieve 20/20 vision so you can remove the inconveniences of contacts and glasses from your life. However, not all patients are good candidates for this procedure. The only way to know for sure is by scheduling a free LASIK Consultation to have your eyes examined. Call 843-856-5275 or visit http://www.charlestoncornea.com/ to schedule your first step toward a lens-free life…and possibly a lower risk of eye infections.