Vision impairment has one of the highest numbers amongst all the different forms of physical impairments. The World Health Organization stated that there are approximately 1.3 billion people around the world who suffer froma at least one type of vision impairment.
Out of those staggering numbers, approximately 826 million people suffer from nearsightedness and around 188.5 million people from farsightedness. According to WHO the leading cause of any form of vision impairment is due to uncorrected refractive errors.
This alarming number of people with vision impairment has led to the growth of people using eyeglasses and contact lenses to enhance their visual quality. In the US alone the number of people using contact lens is estimated to be around 45 million.
However, if there is one thing that is convincingly associated with a contact lens, it is the health risk that comes with it. In fact, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention have said that at least 1/3 of the total number of people using contact lenses are in danger of developing some kind of eye-related problems.
However, the cause of all that health risk amongst the contact lens users seems to be a rather “behavioural” aspect rather than the property of the contact lens itself. The three main factors that were held responsible for causing irritation/ red/ painful eyes were as follows –
- 82.3% of the people using contact lens reported that they kept their contact lens ON for more than the recommended duration.
- 55.1% of the people reported improper cleaning of the lens before applying them.
- The recommended procedure is to clear out the case entirely before adding a new solution to it and applying the lens ON.
- 50.2% of the people reported having worn the contact lenses while sleeping which is not recommended.
So, the primary reasons for people reporting painful eyes or irritation due to contact lenses in the first place can be traced back to the “unhealthy” behavioural routine. Apart from the three procedures mentioned above that contribute to several eye problems, here are some of the things that you may be doing it wrong which may ultimately contribute to bad eye health.
- Many people do not seem to care how they apply the contact lens. In reality, the smallest details matter. Always avoid applying the contact lens with dirty hands. Irrespective of what you may be doing, it is advisable to wash your hands with soap or at least sanitize and wait till your hands are completely dry before applying contact lens.
- Do Not expose your contact lens to water. You may think water cleanses contact lenses, but, in reality, it has an adverse effect. Water is a natural carrier of Bacteria and microbes, and this can compromise the integrity of your contact lens. Water can also alter the shape of the lens, which can cause harm to your cornea.
- This is especially true for tap water, where the percentage of bacteria and other forms of germs are present in abundance.
- While wearing contact lenses, it is of absolute importance to prevent any type of eye-rubbing behaviour. Eye rubbing can sometimes disfigure the lens and cause irritation and improper vision as well.
- If you feel irritation while wearing contact lens, it is not advisable to continue using it. This can encourage eye-rubbing and other eye-risky behaviours which can ultimately damage your eye even more.
- Many people report mixing up their lenses as well. Such a minute carelessness can greatly increase the risk of eye damage in the long run.
Contact lenses hold a multitude of advantages over the traditional glasses. However, if proper care is not taken, it can increase the eye health risk to a great extent. The key to ensuring that contact lens does not pose a serious threat to the eye is to follow the correct procedure. You can buy genuine and high-quality contact lenses online or approach your nearest professional Ophthalmologist. You can also buy contact lenses from Eye Contacts.