In general, contact lenses are safe to use but following instructions is vital when applying contact lenses. Watch out for all the signs and symptoms of any possible complications, which can range from mild allergies to potentially life-threatening corneal infections. Should lens wearer experience eye irritation, redness, pain, tearing, itching or blurred vision, they should visit their doctor promptly.

Who are contact lenses suitable for?

Those who experience the following conditions should not use contact lenses:

· Dry eyes, allergic trinities and asthma
· Bad allergies
· Dusty or chemical fume-filled work environments. These put you at a higher risk of eye infection
· Swim or dive regularly. You can’t swim with contact lenses
· You cannot commit to proper lens care

What type of contact lenses are available?

· Daily wear soft lens
These are worn and removed at night. Replace them after one or two years of wear.
· Disposable/frequent replacement soft lenses
These are available as two-weekly disposable, monthly disposable, and more recently, daily disposable lenses.
· Colored soft lenses
These lenses are tinted for purely cosmetic reasons.
· Hard gas-permeable lens
They provide better quality vision and can correct astigmatism more effectively than soft lenses. These are permanent lenses, not available in disposable form.

F.Y.I for contact lens

Go for frequent/annual eye check-up because some complications are a symptomatic – you may not feel them, even if you have them.

Soft lenses are five times more likely to cause corneal ulcers than hard lenses, which generally have a higher oxygen transmission in the eyes. This means, they are less likely to cause complications such as allergy and infection.

Contact lens or spectacles?

Contact Lens care : you have no idea how important it is

Millions of people enjoy the many benefits of contact lenses; most commonly its obvious cosmetic advantage as well as more practical reasons such as sports play and occupational necessity.  

While contact lenses are convenient and great for solving vision problems, they can become problems themselves when not taken care of properly i.e. eye infections, which may develop into more severe and complicated problems, if not taken care of immediately.

Here are some tips on how you can avoid eye infection and give your lenses the best possible care.   

Don’t wear your lenses to sleep – this practice increases the chances of infection by 10 times. Daily wear soft contact lenses should be removed nightly and extended-wear lenses at regular intervals.

Schedule regular follow-up examinations with an experienced eye care professional to have your contact lenses refitted and replaced on schedule.

Clean and disinfect contact lenses after each removal according to the manufacturer’s recommendation. Rinse and rub each one in the palm of your hand with a sterile multi purpose solution. This removes most of the microbes and particulate matter on your lens after wearing them, allowing the disinfectant to work.

Disinfect storage cases by placing it in boiling water for ten minutes once a month. Storage cases are also encouraged to be replaced regularly. Clean the storage case using a clean toothbrush and contact lens cleaner on a weekly basis.

Never wash your lenses with tap water – this predisposes them to contamination; which can cause infection. Only wash the lenses with sterile solutions.

Never reuse solution that has been used.

Refrain from moistening contact lenses prior to insertion with any non-sterile solution, especially tap water. Do not swim, bath or enter hot tubs wearing contact lens. Most importantly, never lick your lenses - harmful organisms can be transferred from your mouth and may cause infection.

If you develop a sore eye, stop wearing the contact lens immediately. The inflammation usually resolves itself but if pain persists fore more than 24 hours, visit an eye care professional and advise them that you have been wearing contact lenses. Bring your lens, storage as and cleaning solution with you, as it will help to establish the cause of the problem.

Never go to bed with a painful red eye - seek advice immediately.
 
Always wash, rinse and dry your hands thoroughly before handling your lenses.

Some types of contact lenses require protein removal by using an enzyme tablet. This is a more important requirement for soft contact lenses than for rigid lenses and the need is greater for lenses not replaced frequently. Your practitioner will advise whether you need to use a specific enzyme tablet as part of your contact lens regime.

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