A 13th optical specialist shares a mistake you make with your contact lenses

If you are someone 45 million Americans who wear Contact lensesThere is a good opportunity to use it in an unhealthy way. According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 99 % of the contact lenses Do not less than “behavior of contact lenses for hygiene risks.” These include not replacing cases frequently and wearing lenses for sleep.

In some cases, these behaviors can lead to doctor visits and other health problems – but many of these problems can be prevented. Here is what you should and you should not do with contact lenses to reduce the risk of infection and discomfort.

13 Something you should not do with your contact lenses

Are the contacts safe? Yes – but only if it is used correctly. From the top of the old contact solution to touching your eyes with dirty hands, here are some of the most common contact lens errors to avoid them.

Rub your eyes

There is a reason that you were told not to rub your eyes while wearing contact lenses. Dr. Jennifer Martin Maples, Optical specialist with more than 20 years of experienceTell Cnet: “Regardless of wearing contact lenses, rubbing the eye is not a good idea because bacteria and viruses are transferred from hands to the eye, which may lead to eye infection.”

Rubting your eyes can increase the exacerbation of the eye allergy and is associated with the conical cornea – which is the eye disease that causes the cornea thinning and weak vision even when wearing the best glasses or connections. Not to mention that rubbing your eyes can cause contact lenses, fall or fall.

You also don’t want to risk Crusher or destroying the cornea Or cause your contacts fold in your eyes. To be safe, wash your hands and remove contacts first before rubbing or touching your eyes.

Sleeping with contact lenses

According to the center of control and protecting it, 1 in 3 wearing contact lenses Say they sleep or nap in their lenses. However, the agency warns against doing this, saying that wearing contacts for sleep can make you more likely than six to eight times of inflammation in the eye. So, are the communications bad for your eyes at night?

“When you sleep in contact lenses, the front surface of the eye known as the cornea is deprived of oxygen and increases the risk of cornea,” said Maples.

Although some contacts are approved for expanded use or overnight, daily contacts are used Reducing hydration and oxygen flow For your eyes, which can leave them more vulnerable to bacteria and infections, such as bacterial corneal inflammation and fungal cornea. In addition, maples notes that corneal infection can cause painful corneal ulcers and may lead to an irreversible vision.

Reuse the solution

When cleaning your contact lenses, you must first make sure that you emptied any old contact solution still in the case from the last time you clean your lenses. After that, you should rinse the box with a new solution and allow it to air before washing the lenses again. Keep in mind that the solution of the contact lenses used is no longer sterile.

If you reuse or outperform the old solution, The cleansing process will be less effectiveAnd you will be more likely to reach The germs in your case or lenses.

Maples said: “The reuse or the top of the old solution increases the risk of bacteria, fungi and the Amopi,” said Maples. These can eventually lead to eye and ulcers. So make sure you are using a new solution every time.

Use tap water instead of the solution

Another risky behavior is used Tap Or another liquid, instead of solving sterile connection, to clean the lenses or portfolio. The official CDC recommendation is Keep contacts away from water In general, throwing or clearing any lenses to touch water.

“Aqueous microbes, exposure to contact lenses, significantly increases the risk of harsh and ulcers, and visual loss is irreversible,” said Maples.

Leave sunscreen on your contacts

As you know, getting a sunscreen in your eyes can be a painful experience. “You should be keen to avoid getting sunscreen in the eyes or on your contacts because sunscreen can irritate the eyes,” says Maples. However, it may be worse if you get it on your contacts because it will not only adhere to your eyes, but it can also destroy your lenses. If that happens, you want to be prepared with a backup copy A pair of lenses or glasses.

To prevent sunscreen on your contacts, wash and dry your hands before applying it near your eyes. Follow the same process when taking it out.

Shower with contacts in

You should also avoid bathing with contacts, for the same reasons we have just mentioned. Even if you live in an area containing clean and drinking water, you wear contacts in the bathroom Increases the risk of corneal inflammationA serious eye infection can lead to loss or weakness in vision. As the maple mentioned, adding water to the contacts can enter bacteria into the eye until you want to avoid it.

Another common question: Can you wash your face with contacts? Again, no. Getting your contacts wet – whether while bathing or washing your face – can cause their bending or stick to your mind, and perhaps scratch your cornea and make it painful to remove it.

Go to swim

Such as showering, cleaning your contacts with water, wearing contact lenses while swimming or using a hot tub is nothing else. This only makes you more likely to develop an infection, so it is not usually Maples support.

Whether you are in a swimming pool or a natural water body, your contacts can absorb water (which may be contaminated with bacteria) and trap against your eyes. After that, you may be more likely to develop and dangerous development Eye problemsIncluding inflammation, infection, irritation and corneal erosion.

Not replacing it frequently

There are many types of contact lenses, including daily corrosion and extended corrosion options. But regardless of the type you have, it is important to do so Replace According to the recommendations of the ophthalmologist. This may mean changing it daily, weekly, or monthly.

“With the age of lenses, more pathogens are gathered on lenses,” Maples said, adding: “Even with cleaning and regular disinfection, small defects on the surface of the lens allow the causes of pathogens to hide in small tears or cracks on the surface of the lens.”

If you use a pair of contact lenses for a long time, the consequences may be dangerous, ranging from them Display of pain for blindness. Talk to an ophthalmologist immediately if you have noticed any of these symptoms.

Touch your eyes with dirty hands

Whether inserting contact lenses or removing contact lenses, it is necessary to do this with clean hands. “Even when the hands look clean, they still house the causes of pathogens that can cause serious infections in the eye,” Maples warned. You can get all types of bacteria in the contacts or eyes, which increases the chances of development Inflammation.

There are simple ways to reduce these risks: before dealing with your lenses, be sure to wash your hands with soap and water, then use a clean towel to dry them.

Leave the connections even when the eyes are itching

Itching eyes can be turned on a number of things, including Seasonal sensitivityOr drought or Sensitivity reaction to your contacts Or the connection solution.

“Environmental sensitivity can be aggravated by wearing contact lenses if not properly managed,” said Maples.

In some cases, contact lenses can lead to an allergy response. Either way, it is better to be temporary Take out your contacts So you determine and solve the problem with your doctor.

“Without appropriate treatment, the constant erosion of contact lenses can exacerbate the symptoms of allergies and lead to increased discomfort and irritation,” Maples explained.

In some cases, the comfort of itching and dehydration may be simple like changing your connection mark, and replacing your lenses often or Using eye drops. The ophthalmologist can help you determine the best solution to your position.

Keep your case dirty

Since your case keeps your contact lenses while washing it, you should also remain clean and tightly sealed. Otherwise, it can Transfer bacteria to your lenses It may lead to eye infection. “Over time, pathogens accumulate on the contact box and can form a thin movie called vital membranes, which can lead to infection,” said Maples.

It recommends cleaning your case daily with an contact lens solution, rinsing and drying air in a room is not your bathroom. Maples recommends replacing the contact lens box once a month.

Leave makeup on your contacts

If you are wearing makeup, you need to be careful not to get it on your contacts, as it may leave a movie and pollute it. To avoid this, be sure to wash your hands well before applying your contacts and again when they are removed.

Also, the American visual association suggests Soft lens mode Before applying makeup. If you wear solid lenses in the gas, they should be included after making a makeup routine.

“The makeup should be removed at night to avoid the obstruction of the mobody (oil) glands in the eyelids and remove bacteria and allergens, such as pollen,” said Maples. She added that the blockage of the eyelids can lead to infection, which is usually called elegance.

Tampering with your contact solution

If you Exit on a weekend or weekendIt may be tempting to transfer your contact solution to a smaller and travel -friendly container. However, the US Food and Drug Administration advises against this as possible Abdication And put you in the risk of eye infection. “This may also lead to eye damage and reduce the effectiveness of the cleansing and cleaning process,” said Maples.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends getting rid of any connection solution that exceeds its expiration or getting rid of its date because the formula can become less effective after these dates.