Are Contact Lenses Really Responsible for Computer Vision Syndrome?

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Computer vision syndrome affect visual acuity due to the increased stress on ocular muscles. Digital era has pushed everyone into “screen-reading”. Be it your social media, work routine or leisure activities; every platform requires you to squint at your tablets, mobile phones, computers and LEDs. This reduces the number of times human eye blinks which leads to eye strain. Contact lenses may add to the symptoms but they are not to be hold accountable for the syndrome. According to the Oklahoma City Eye Specialist Dr. Chris Boaldin it is the obsession to smart screens that increases the risks of the syndrome.

Symptoms of Computer Vision Syndrome:

Computer vision syndrome reduces blinking to five times that exert pressure on nerves. This may lead to blurred or hazy vision, watery eyes, heavy eye lids and redness. Contact lenses block the smooth flow of oxygen to some extent; though advance technology has made the availability of silicone hydrogel lenses possible that allow upto 5 times more of the oxygen transmission. Circle contacts come with their own constraints as other medical devices. Working for more than 8 hours on computer screen with circle lenses in eyes may affect one’s efficiency.

Treatment:

Fortunately computer vision syndrome does not call to quit wearing contacts. According to experts few lifestyle modifications may help relieve the symptoms. Basically, by improving sitting postures, lighting conditions & by reducing the glare, CVS can be eliminated. “I always urge patients not to ignore any vision discomfort,” said Dr. Boaldin. “Simple postural changes can significantly reduce computer vision syndrome symptoms and help prevent the development of additional vision problems.”

Management with computer vision syndrome actually eases it out to continue wearing contact lenses with least discomfort. Furthermore, wearing lenses that ensure maximum comfort & water retention heals the symptoms and improves contact lens tolerance.  

Do you Wear Contact Lenses & are Prone to Pollen Allergy? Read why should you Avoid Eating Apples

It would be surprising to learn that apples along with some other fruits and vegetables make seasonal allergies go haywire. If you are prone to seasonal allergies you must take precautionary measures when wearing soft contact lenses. This being said, avoiding apples should be strictly considered.

Oral Allergy Syndrome & Contact Lenses

During spring & fall; pollen particles are found most suspended in the air. Since soft contact lenses allow partial permeation of oxygen to let your eyes breathe, some of the air irritants also find their way through contacts. When these allergens are trapped into the contact lenses; they make the seasonal allergies get worse. Doctors opine if you suffer from allergy; you probably are also a victim of “Oral Allergy Syndrome”. This refers to problem eating some fruits & vegetables. Blame pollen like protein found on the surfaces of apples, tomatoes, cantaloupes & other raw veggies/fruits.

If you have been sniffling & sneezing this season along with an itchy throat & sore mouth, you need to reconsider your decision of consuming these edibles. With contact lenses, allergens can make a whole lot of mess. Though glasses can be a rescue, some people would love to stick to their contact lenses for how handy they are over glasses. If contact lenses are unavoidable for you try disposable contact lenses to reduce the protein buildup.

Runny nose & itching red eyes have never been a fun combination. If you are prone to get flared up by allergens floating in the air, you need to learn the culprits that make your symptoms go worse. Contact lenses won’t be bothersome if you take care of disinfecting them & their cases regularly after each wear. Replace your contact lens cases every 3 months to stop the recurrence of the ocular infections. 

Why Monitoring Eye Health should be One’s Top Priority when Wearing Contact Lenses?

courtesy: Starfocal

It is a universal bad habit that we tend to ignore eye health when it comes to monitoring over-all body health. Doctors opine that monitoring eye health should be one’s top priority if you wear prescription contact lenses. Annual checkups & regular follow ups can help over rule the chances of contraindications you have been unaware of.

Eyes are windows to the soul. The idiom seems to carry the load of heavy meanings not only in serving to one’s aesthetics but also in clinical terms. Eyes show discomfort and various signals when your body suffers from other medical conditions; you have been oblivious of. For instance; you might get migraines due to the changing prescription of your contact lenses. Therefore; eye health exam should be made on priority basis once in a year if not in every 6 months.

Contact Lenses Need Attention:

People wearing contact lenses should be more vigilant about how their eyes behave when they shift to different temperature zones. Weather changes may also interfere with vision for patients wearing prescription contact lenses. With the onset of spring the suspended pollen particles in air might accumulate on the surface of contact lenses, causing blurred/hazy vision or might even spark allergic reactions. Similarly, beach visits in summer & tours to frozen areas might create discomfort whilst sporting contact lenses. Using mere eye drops help in various issues but serious concerns are better justified by an Optometrist. Only he will be able to judge if you should continue wearing contact lenses when allergens hit or should better give your eyes a rest.

Contact lenses have never been a problem. Eye experts opine that they wish to see more people opting contact lenses as they have been a handy device in vision correction for people from different walks of life, from children to elderly, from house wives to sportsmen with vigorous activities. Only follow instructions that come with your contact lenses & keep contact lens follow ups in your priority list. Guard your eyes against irrevocable vision damages- start acting today. 

3 Things to Consider when Wearing Circle Lenses in a Party

Party is all about fun, mega thrill & excitement. During a crazy get together of friends you need to watch your steps especially if you are wearing circle lenses. Circle lenses are medical devices and yes! Enough of the hammering has already been done on this subject. Though FDA approved circle lenses are safe to wear, they call out for attention & careful handling. Ignoring the precautions given below might cost you lifetime vision loss or corneal damage

Avoid Drinking Alcohol

Alcohol makes you feel dizzy & hazy. Having rounds of alcohol can cause tripping & dozing. To avoid accidental naps with circle lenses it is best advised to put them off when you are about to begin the alcoholic sessions. Circle lenses should not be worn when you sleep as it deprives oxygen needs which may lead to gross ocular injuries in unfortunate cases.

Watch out! Party Poppers!

Courtesy: DarlingDozen.tumblr

Friends are crazy, they bump & jump! Unfortunately they even dump! Be careful when you are in a party where fanatic lads and lasses are willing to cross any limits to merry. Party poppers contain air pressure, strings & components that must not be used directly around people, animals & near fire places. If you notice your friends going lunatic with confetti & poppers; take care of yourself & move away. The confetti if gets into eyes mistakenly can mess with circle lenses. The tiny glittery particles can adhere to the circle lenses, cause scratches and tear them in the eyes. This may lead to corneal abrasions & vision loss.

Ditch the BBQ Grill

The smoke from BBQ and grill is not strong enough to melt your circle lenses but it can cause blurred vision. Smoke can irritate the eyes as the other environmental factors such as spices, onion fumes and coal pieces etc can disturb the lens adhesion. Don’t roam about the BBQ grills & fire places to help saving your eyes when wearing circle lenses.

Related:

Can smoke from BBQ melt your Circle Lenses?

4 Dry Eye Relief Tips by Dr. Stewart for Contact Lens Wearers

Dry eye syndrome affects over 25 million Americans & more than 100 million people worldwide. With the onset of winters; the syndrome begins to strengthen its roots thus instigate dryness, eye sores and grittiness, itching & burning sensation among contact lens wearers. Dr. Stewart Shofner-renowned surgeon of “Shofner Vision Centre” suggests 5 dry eye relief tips to release the discomfort that is subject to disturb twice more to wearers of contact lenses.

Dr. Kevin Johnson of Shofner Vision Center adds, "Contact lens wearers in particular are subject to dry eye symptoms because the dry air reduces the moisture in the contact lenses.”

During winter the tear film that keeps eyes moist is disturbed due to cold weather & dry air. Wearing contact lenses further worsen the symptoms.

"Dry eye syndrome is much worse in the winter as people tend to stay indoors where warm dry air is prevalent," says Dr. Shofner

How to Relieve Dry Eye Symptoms in winter among Wearers of Contact Lenses?

As a wearer of contact lenses and a patient of dry eyes syndrome, be preventive about following:

1. Stay away from direct air. Air conditioners, hair dryers, car heaters & vents should not be directed towards eyes. Do not ride a bicycle or motor bike without protective eye goggles whilst wearing contact lenses.
2. In winter when there is an advanced use of gas/electric heaters and when the fire places are always active; use a humidifier to add moisture to dry indoor air. If dryness is not dealt like a pro; especially if you wear contact lenses you are more prone to develop eye sores, scratches & corneal abrasions
3. Use lubricants along with prescription eye drops such as Systane and Restasis. They work with one’s own tears to re-hydrate, soothe & reduce the inflammation. They also help your eyes produce more tears to keep eyes lubricated. This increases tolerance for contact lenses & help reduce discomfort associated with contact lenses.
4. Stay away from air pollution, BBQ smoke & cigarette smokers. Those who smoke should reduce smoking or if possible should totally stop it for a while. Smoking is dangerous in 3 ways for cigarette smokers who wear contact lenses.

Dr. Shofner says, "Patients can be treated for dry eye syndrome with quick and convenient procedure such as LipiFlow® or cauterization. Using the correct eye drops can also be helpful, and there is no reason for anyone to suffer from dry eyes”

Eating healthy-introducing fruits & green vegetables & increasing liquid diet also helps combat against dry eyes syndrome for people wearing contact lenses. 

Courtesy of :

PRwebShofnerVisionCentre

Can Diabetics Wear Circle Contact Lenses?

Circle contacts & diabetes

Diabetes affect entire human body so does it lay effects on eyes. Diabetes alter tear-chemistry and tear-secretion; therefore diabetics may find their eyes dry when wearing circle contact lenses. Circle contact lenses are themselves no contraindication to diabetes thus most of the patients enjoy liberty of wearing circle contact lenses without any adverse effects on eye health. 

Circle Contact Lenses & Handling with Injuries in Diabetics

Diabetics hold a weak history of recovering from injuries. Therefore diabetics who wear circle lenses must not ignore the routine checkups for prescriptions and for avoiding the risks of ocular injuries.

• Diabetics wearing prescription circle contact lenses should get those contacts which allow more oxygen permeability.
• They should also be very meticulous about the cleanliness & hygiene when it comes to circle contact lenses.

Things that Diabetics Wearing Circle Lenses Must Focus On:

• Keep an eye on any kind of ocular complications; be it minor injuries
• Always use eye drops, don’t let them get dry when wearing circle contact lenses.
• Do not ever share your circle contact lenses. Never Ever!
• Do not wear circle contact lenses when working at computers- this can lead to eye strain and stress.

It has been observed that people with controlled diabetes carry no complications with circle contact lenses. However; they are at greater risk of suffering from dryness in eyes.

Also Read: Google’s Smart Contact Lenses for Diabetics

According to Dr. Dubow; “Most people with diabetes can wear contact lenses. They must be properly prescribed and managed to make sure the wearer's eyes stay safe and healthy. This means using the correct lenses, the correct care system and having regular visits with the doctor to monitor eye health and vision”

Diabetes patients can of course wear circle lenses; they only need to be a bit more concerned about their health. Such patients heal slowly than others; they also run the risk of ocular abrasions and infections which should be the areas of strict concern in the life of a diabetic patient. Keep visiting your eye doctor as he is the only one to prescribe you circle contact lenses that do not only properly fit but also provide crisp vision with enhanced comfort and wettability.

References:

Allaboutvision-Ask a Doctor

Clinical and Experimental Optometry © 2012 Optometrists Association Australia.

University of IOWA- Hospitals & Clinics

Can I take a 20 minutes Nap in Contact Lenses?

Since soft contact lenses block “enough” oxygen’s permeability; it is not recommended to sleep and take nap with them in. Eyes are the only organ that draw its oxygen directly from the open environment, but wearing contact lenses restrict this natural phenomenon. Taking a short nap is though not as harmful as sleeping with cosmetic lenses in; it is not considered a good habit.

Why Taking a Nap in Contact Lenses is a Bad Idea?

Taking a 20 minutes nap in soft contact lenses should not be a problem usually; but stay careful that you are not going to fall asleep inadvertently.

Also Read: Why Can’t I sleep wearing Circle Lenses?

Dozing off when you are wearing colored lenses makes eyes dry and uncomfortable. When they are deprived of oxygen; they turn hard and begin stinging the eyes leading to “pink eye”, “irritation”, “inflammation” & even potential damages such as corneal abrasions & ulcers. Sometimes you may be warned by your eye doctor to wear lenses ever again in your life. So; why risk when you have already been warned?

Serious Threats of Sleeping in Circle Lenses

Sleeping in contacts blocks the supply of oxygen to eyes and they may become dehydrated. Dehydrated contact lenses can cause scratches on the cornea and make you restless for at least a day. Removing dehydrated contact lenses from eyes is yet another problem which demand you to tackle it peacefully & carefully.

If you forget taking your lenses off of your eyes before going to bed; you are honestly risking your eyes. However; when you realize after waking up that you have had a nap with contact lenses do one thing- DONOT panic. The damage has already been done- though only the superficial in most cases.

Also Read: Can I Instill Eye drops whilst wearing contact lenses?

Get your lubricating drops; re-wet your contact lenses by instilling a drop in each eye & blink your eyes. You are now free to remove your circle lenses safely.

Disinfect them & let your eyes rest for at least a day before you wear contacts again.

Can Colored Contact Lenses Cause Eye Floaters?

Colored contact lenses neither cause eye floaters nor can they make it worse. Eye floaters are small moving protein blobs that drifts about in the field of your vision. They look like grey specks, strings or cobwebs. They are very normal and should not cause any hindrance in the vision. However; if they suddenly increase in numbers, one should immediately arrange a visit to eye doctor.

Floaters

Effect of Colored Contact Lenses on Floaters:

“Eye floaters” is an age-related problem; thus it occurs as you age. Floaters are more common in people between 50 to 75 years. It occurs when the gel-like substance (vitreous) in the eye become more liquid. Colored contact lenses have directly no relation with worsening the floaters. Therefore, it is completely safe to wear colored contact lenses for prescription purposes even if you are diagnosed with floaters.

According to Eye Professional John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO, “There is no cause-effect relationship between floaters and contact lenses”. Therefore; wearers of colored contact lenses should feel no fear or hesitation; since they do not need to discontinue wearing colored contact lenses due to floaters. They must however should stick to cleanliness & maintenance along with timely replacement of colored contact lenses.

Avoid Expired/ Old Colored Contact Lenses

Old colored contact lenses or those that have passed their expiry must be avoided. Such colored contact lenses are already possibly contaminated with viruses/ bacteria. Furthermore; protein deposits on old colored contact lenses may bring havoc to those having vision problems.

Also Read: Do Circle Lenses Really Expire?

People with floaters are recommended to stick to monthly disposable circle lenses that are meant for a month use or last three months at maximum.

“Contacts do not cause floaters to become larger, although you might become more aware of them with visual improvement. Contacts also do not cause flashes. If you have flashes and/or an increase or change in floaters, especially suddenly, this may be a sign of a more serious problem within the eye, having nothing to do with the contacts. You should have a dilated eye exam by a Eye M.D. (ophthalmologist) to be certain that you don't have problems within the eye”; Says Ivan Schwab-Ophthalmologist at American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeSmart.

Reference:

WebMd- Eyefloaters (Benign)

Contact Lens’ Effects on Floaters

Are Circle Contact Lenses Safe for Children? What is the Right Age?

Circle contact lenses are not FDA approved in United States. However it is perfectly legal to buy circle contact lenses from an online retailer based in another country. Today; circle lenses have much more to offer than they had back a decade.Circle contact lenses are now available in prescription. Even children are no more reluctant to give them a try as they find benefits in wearing circle contact lenses than wearing conventional eye glasses.

At what Age should a Child be given Circle Contact Lenses?

Circle contact lenses are safe for children depending upon the following factors.

1. Maturity Level: Is he mature enough to understand his responsibilities? Does he finish his home-work on his own? Does he take things seriously or is he simply a careless brat?
2. Calendar Age: Though many doctors around the world are convinced that age has little to do with the maturity of a child, it is simply impossible to completely ignore the age. A child need to be meticulous about circle contact lens’ safety, wear & risks involved. According to the doctors the right age of introducing circle contact lenses to a child should be no less than 13 years.

Circle Contact Lenses for Children: Safe or Harmful?

When your child starts pushing you for getting him a pair of circle contact lenses, you should immediately get concerned if he is suffering from vision problems. Get him checked for a prescription.

1. Kids prefer circle contact lenses over glasses because they fear being mocked for by their peer-group at school. Parents also consider it an opportunity if their child has an inclination towards circle contact lenses because small kids are more prone to breaking the delicate frames of glasses over & over again.
2. Circle contact lenses have their own pros and cons. Circle lenses directly float on eyes whereas glasses sit at the nose posing no risks of direct abrasions to cornea. However circle lenses have many benefits over glasses.
3. Circle contact lenses should not be worn more than 6 hours. In early months a child must not wear circle lenses for more than 3 hours.

Circle contact lenses are as safe for children as they are for adults. Children can even wear novelty circle contact lenses if they are mature enough. Train your child and educate him about circle contact lenses, wear, care & maintenance.

“How to Educate your Child about Wearing Circle & Colored Contact Lenses”

All you need to worry about before letting your child buy circle lenses is to find a reputable supplier of circle lenses. If unfortunately; you get counterfeit circle lenses online the entire story will be presenting horrific & terrifying end results. Being warned is being armed. Therefore, buy only branded ISO, KFDA and medically certified circle contact lenses hereto save your child eyes & vision forever.

4 Circle Lenses’ Troubleshooting Advices

It is an established fact that circle lenses and contact lenses are medical devices that should be treated and dealt accordingly. Circle lenses and contact lenses need greater care & precautions whilst you are travelling, because one wrong move can risk your eyes. When stuck in a blind alley; people tend to risk their eyes instead of risking their circle lenses. Don’t you think your eyes deserve more attention than your contact lenses?

Through following troubleshooting tips; you can save both- your eyes & your circle contact lenses.

1. You are running out of contact lens solution; so instead of cleaning your lens case with the disinfectant you prefer to wash it with water

That’s a horrible negligence. Water contains impurities and microorganisms that can contaminate the circle lenses &cases. The contaminated circle lenses may induce Cataracts or Conjunctivitis which will keep you from wearing your circle lenses again for long.

Advice: If you are out of your contact lens solution supplies; it is better to prepare a saline solution at home. Saline solution is made from distilled water and table salt which is known to kill germs and keep your circle lenses safe from harmful bacteria. Never store your wet cases. Let them air dry by them upside down with lids off.

2. You are travelling and something out of a sudden gets into your eyes disturbing your vision. You have to remove your circle lenses but you have no solution at hand. Therefore; you clean them with saliva and put on back.

Another criminal negligence towards the hygiene of your own eyes. Cleaning off your circle lenses with saliva is a call to millions of bacteria which when get in contact with eyes may start eating them.

Advice: Always carry a travel size circle lens kit or a handy solution bottle so that you can take it out whenever you are to face an emergency. The intelligent circle lens wearers protect their eyes with goggles/ spectacles/sunshades when out wearing circle lenses.

3. Your circle lenses are still the same even after a year; so why dispose them off? You are still wearing the same circle lenses and your eyes are even the same sparkling & bright.

We repeat circle lenses and contact lenses are medical devices which need you to take proactive approach against bacteria culmination. Circle lenses should never be used past their expiry. Similarly keep a check on your disinfectant. Everything that comes with an expiry tag does expire and so is a poke for you to discard it off.

Advice: If you wear prescription circle lenses; keep your glasses in prescription reserved for a bad day. Instead of continuing wearing expired contact lenses; it is better to wear those grandma glasses for a day or two.

4. You have been using the same contact lens case since ages. You wash it regularly with the disinfectant so why on earth should you spend more bucks to replace it?

Dirty contact lens case

Contact lens cases develop bio-films. If you notice clearly you will see a thin slimy layer by rubbing your finger slightly in the wells. No matter how regularly you have been washing your cases; the plastic these are made from are subjected to weather. Nothing remains new forever; remember this.

Advice: Replace your contact lens cases every 3 months. If you do not have any lens case for now; you can sterilize your contact lens cases to use it more for a maximum period of three days. Replace your case as soon as possible

Always follow good sanitation and hygiene practices. Read how to minimize risks with circle lenses.

Guam Conjunctivitis Outbreak Continues: Stop Sharing Colored Contact Lenses

According to a news release; Conjunctivitis outbreak continues in Guam, US with an unabated total of 248 registered cases in the vicinity. According to the reports; both the sexes; males and females are being affected though the males slightly outnumber the females. Surprisingly; elderly and infants are being targeted alike by the virus. Poor hygiene & a careless attitude towards using colored contact lenses & cosmetics might be the source behind the virus growth.

What is Conjunctivitis & What causes it?

Conjunctivitis is an eye disease which causes inflammation at the conjunctiva- the thin layer that covers the inside of the eyelid which rests over the white area of the eye. Due to inflammation the whites of the eye develop a pink tone; and hence the condition is known as “Pink Eye Disease”. The disease is though caused by viruses, allergens, environmental pollutants, fungi, chemicals etc.; unhygienic living conditions and a careless attitude towards the use of daily articles such as towel, tissue, soaps, eye glasses, bed-linens/blankets and cosmetics may worsen the situation.

• Always wash hands with soap before touching your face and eyes.
• Sterilize the towels & the contaminated linens
• Do not share towels, pillows, eye frames & contact lenses with conjunctivitis’ infected person.
• Do not swim in the pools when infected.

Precautions to observe if you are a Contact Lens Wearer

Prevention is better than cure. If you wear colored contact lenses on regular basis; you need to stay even more vigilant. Though you might already be cleaning & disinfecting your colored contact lenses;you need to stay more active now.

• Clean, disinfect & wash your colored contact lenses by rubbing method twice a day.
• Sterilize your colored contact lens cases. Replace them if it has been more than 3 months to them
• Throw your colored contact lenses past their expiry
• Do not use cheap or homemade saline solutions to clean your colored contact lenses
• Do not share your eye drops & makeup brushes
• DO NOT ever share your colored contact lenses with ANYONE on earth; not even for the sake of fun.

Sharing colored contact lenses only aggravates the symptoms & destroys all efforts of the government that are taken to fight against the viral disease. Do not re-wear those colored contact lenses that you wore when your eyes were infected. Toss them off with the related accessories including colored contact lens handling forceps, containers, plunger and eye drops. Remember; good personal hygiene is the only aid to help minimize the effects of conjunctivitis.

Why did My Colored Contact Lenses Fade?

You probably won’t notice any discoloration in circle Lenses or colored contact lenses if you have been replacing them as per your prescription. Please bear in mind that branded circle lenses or Korean circle lenses are made from “Sandwich Printing Technology” which keep the pigmentation of the lens saved between two layers. Circle lenses or colored contact lenses made in China or those counterfeit lenses lack in this regard & thus may fade even before the first wear.

Colored contact lenses do fade in color overtime because everything weathers. However if you practice a good replacement schedule; you probably are not giving your colored contact lenses enough time to fade.

Following factors are involved in colored contact lens fading

The change in molecular structure of colored contact lenses that occurs due to over wearing causes discoloration. Colored contact lenses also become contaminated. Refer to the chart below for contamination signs on colored contact lenses.

Staining	Causes
Yellowish brown	Over-wearing
Brown hue	Rinsed with tap water (containing high iron content)
Yellow & Blue	Cosmetics buildup
Pink	Medicines ( VB12, improper eye drops, antibiotics)
Reddish-Brown	Contact lenses of smoker
White & bright grey	Proteins, lipids, fungi, medications

The inappropriate lens care products such as hydrogen peroxide which acts as a bleach may further accelerate the fading. Neglecting precautions when wearing circle lenses and applying makeup such as improper use of hair spray, straightening irons, curlers and dyes boost-up premature fading in colored contact lenses.

Adherence to the prescribed replacement schedule & disinfecting them regularly save you bucks and above all prevent you from frightening eye sores & abrasions!

Reference:

Contact Lens Complications- Etiology, Pathogenesis, Prevention, Therapy by Hans- Walter Roth

Does Medication Affect Colored Contact Lens Wear?

Certain types of medications lay adverse effects on colored contact lens tolerance. It has been observed that people on birth control pills may notice an inability of wearing them or blurred/ hazy vision. The birth control pills do pose risk of side-effects including decreasing the colored contact lens tolerance.

It is an understood fact that before beginning with any type of eye medication you must remove colored contact lenses from eyes. You should even be very careful whilst instilling eye drops when you are wearing colored contact lenses because eye drops that are not meant to be used in relation with colored contact lenses promote protein build-up on the surface of contact lenses.

Birth Control Pills, Anti-Allergenic& Colored Contact Lenses

Before introducing any type of medicine in your diet it is recommended to give a thorough read to the pamphlet that comes with the medicine. The precautions on the leaflet mention in clear words if the ingredients have any side-effects in correlation to wearing colored contact lenses.

Oral contraceptive pills boost up estrogen production which reduces the tear production thus making women’s eyes more sensitive to colored contact lenses and prone to drying. Anti-allergic pills may also turn eyes drier in some cases. Acne medications can sometime also produce itchy sensation, dryness and tingling in eyes which makes it difficult to wear colored contact lenses.

If you are frequent user of colored contact lenses and are on certain type of medications for a small duration; keep your ophthalmologist informed about the vision changes and any type of increased sensitivity to eyes. Medicines do affect contact lens wear negatively and if you are irritant to any of the ingredients you must give a pause to wearing colored contact lenses until the medication is over.

By Uniqso Enquiry

Can Heat from BBQ/Grill/Kitchen Burn Contact Lenses?

There has been a hoax circulating around for quite some time online that heat from BBQ/grill or kitchen whilst you are busy cooking can damage your eyes by melting your contact lenses. Though this sounds painful; you need not to worry since it only happens to be a misleading & irrational piece of false information.

True that soft contact lenses are made from plastic but modern innovation and breakthrough technology has led to the advanced manufacturing processes of contact lenses which make use of hydrogel material. These hydrogel contact lenses are water-loving lenses which absorb tears from eyes to stay supple & moist. Use of eye drops whilst wearing contact lenses retain the moisture in your eyes even when you are cooking or grilling. Contact lenses can’t turn dry just by the heat with which you are exposed to in the kitchen; thus they can’t burn or melt in your eyes either.

It is though safe to wear contact lenses in moderate heat i.e. the heat produced in kitchen and during in BBQ/grilling; one must stay vigilant about the other irritants present in the environment such as smoke, spices and vapors from onion etc. Sometimes these irritants when wearing contact lenses can disturb your eyes; making your vision blurred. This stimulates the urge of rubbing them which can further deteriorate the condition.

What is the Doctors’ Take?

According to Dr. Robert Kwok; “Contact lenses on the eyes won't melt during cooking or barbecuing (unless a cook has a severe or fatal accident in which his whole face is burned up). Cook's eyes don't get hot, and they automatically blink whenever hot air blows into their faces. A cook also knows not to have his face over a pot when he lifts the lid (avoid hot steam) nor too close to an oven door when he opens it (hot dry air).”

Long story short; wearing contact lenses whilst cooking is completely safe unless your eyes are not very sensitive to smoke and fumes. Though it has its own risks associated with wearing contact lenses; taking proper care of your eyes, contact lenses, following precautions and common sense can save you from a good deal of irrational and inadvertent fears. Follow the safety guidelines (eye care) when wearing contact lenses and stay safe!

By Uniqso Enquiry

Colored Contact Lenses for Computer Users

Computers are boon due to which they have now become the integral part of this global village. It is estimated that globally over 350 million people use computers daily; either at work or at home. Over 125 million of people wear contact lenses with more than 38 million people in US alone. According to American Optometrist Association; around 70-75% of computer users suffer from eye strain & vision problems. Wearing colored contact lenses may aggravate the condition leading towards dry eyes syndrome if the colored contact lenses are not properly taken care of. Colored contact lenses though directly pose no such health risk for computer users; it is advised to take complete care of your eyes if you are a frequent user of computer.

Symptoms you should look for if you work at computers with wearing colored contact lenses

Since working at computers reduce the eye-blink rate to five times; computers users tend to suffer more from eye strain and dry eyes whilst working at computers with colored contact lenses. Due to concentration required while working at computer people often forget to bat eyes which causes blurred vision and eye strain. As a result people squint eyes more often which thus make eyes feel tired and tauten. If you notice any of the three symptoms below when you work at computer with colored contact lenses then it means you are neglecting your eyes and you fail to take proper care of your colored contact lenses

• Dry eyes
• Blurred vision
• Itching
• Redness
• Watery eyes
• Eye strain
• Difficulty batting eyes
• Eye fatigue
• Head aches
• Sensitivity to light

Colored Contact Lenses for Dry Eyes & for Computer Users

It is known that the more the water content of colored contact lenses; the drier they get. Though colored contact lenses with high degrees of water content are comfortable to wear when worn for short durations; it is believed that colored contact lenses with water content above 50% suck up the tears from eyes leaving the outer surface of colored contact lenses dry. Using colored contact lenses with 38% to 40% water content is recommended for people who have to work on computer for longer durations. Colored contact lenses with high water content remain hassle-free and pain-free as long as they are moist but as the day passes the water evaporates. Using re-wetting drops with such colored contact lenses may help alleviate the symptoms.

Here is how to combat dry eyes when working at computer with wearing colored contact lenses. It is mandatory to disinfect colored contact lenses& to wash them regularly because otherwise the protein deposits & bacteria accumulation even add to the eye-strain. Colored contact lenses neither affect vision adversely nor do they make your eyes dry provided you are following experts’ advice & keep the regular visits to your optometrist in your schedule!