3 Contact Lens New Year Resolutions

Colored contact lenses are preferred over glasses for vision correction. However, unlike glasses, colored contact lenses are medical devices that need diligent handling and meticulous care. Contact lenses make one vulnerable towards infections that may sometimes be contagious leading to permanent blindness. Fortunately, there are branded FDA approved colored contacts that ensure minimum risks. Furthermore, a pragmatic approach towards contact lens cleaning is promising for healthy eyes & crisp vision. Every contact lens wearer must renew the following resolutions for optimum health care

1. Schedule an Eye Exam

Annual eye examinations are must for every patient. An eye doctor will be able to assess the eye health such as how contact lenses have affected your eyes the past year. In case your eyes need a different brand; a doctor is the only person to suggest the alterations in the schedule. Furthermore, a fresh prescription at the start of the year will ensure better vision throughout the year.

2. Proper Cleaning of Contact Lenses & Cases

Most of the contact lens wearers willingly opt to ignore contact lens cleaning. They are too lazy to throw the solution from the chambers for re-soaking contact lenses. Instead, they prefer tossing off the solution which facilitates bacterial growth & fungal contamination. You must not take second chances with your colored contacts. After each wear, disinfect your lenses and refill the chambers with fresh supply of solution.

3. Follow Strict Replacement Schedule

Follow the replacement schedule religiously. Contact lenses bear an expiry date, past which it is no safer to use them. After expiry they may begin to fade the dye, or may have already been contaminated with bacteria. Replace your colored contact lenses & your cases on timely basis

Don’t be in regret at the end of year realizing, that half dozen of your resolutions remain unfulfilled. Be clear & crisp in your approach, especially when it is about health care. You only got one pair of eyes and colored contact lenses are to enhance them!

How Long do Unopened & Sealed Colored Contact Lenses Last?

Like every other thing; circle contact lenses get expired too- It’s a no exception. Contact lenses that are annually disposable last you 8-10 months after being opened. On the other hand sealed contact lenses that have never been opened last you 3-4 years. How to determine about the expiry date? Very simple! Check the label on the packaging i.e. either vials or blisters.

Contact lens expiry dates are stamped by the manufacturers. The expiry date indicates about the efficacy of the product and the solution. Once the expiry has lapsed, it is assumed that the solution in which contact lenses are soaked has lost the sterility. This being said, contact lenses may get contaminated with bacteria hence choosing to wear expired contact lenses carries potential risks.

Contact lenses usually bears an expiry tag of 4 years from the date of manufacture. The shelf life remains intact for the said time if vials/blisters remain sealed. Expired contact lenses must not necessarily feel different or look different. They may not always irritate but why risk your eyes for just few dollars? Always keep a good track of contact lens expiry by marking the date on the lens cases and be careful to note down the expiry date, every time your replace your contact lens case in 3 months.

From Acuve Website:

According to the expiry date on my lens package, they’ve expired. Can I still wear them?

No. Once your lenses are past their expiry date we cannot ensure the lenses or the solution are sterile. We do not recommend you wear contact lenses past their expiry date.

From Bausch & Lomb:

Can I use expired products?

The expiration date on a product represents the shelf life of the product from the date of manufacture. After this date we cannot ensure the safety and efficacy of the product and do not recommend using any product once the expiration date has lapsed.

Contact lenses are prosthetic medical devices. Make your decisions wisely.

Failing to Proper Cleanliness & Maintenance of Circle Lenses: 3 Things that went Horribly Wrong(Case Studies)

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

All the users of circle lenses should stay vigilant about the cleanliness and maintenance of circle lenses and contact lenses. There is no doubt that contact lenses are prosthetic medical devices that ensure crisp vision and brighten up the personality by adding a color to your eyes. However; at the same time; one wrong move with contact lenses may lead to undesirable, horrendous & gross results that are often irrevocable.

1. Failing to Replace Colored Contact Lenses

All the variants of contact lenses either colored, transparent or big eye circle lenses should be timely replaced. Failing to follow which may lead to corneal abrasions or even permanent blindness. Most of the times patient stay oblivious of the damage that expired circle lenses cause to their eyes. It is therefore crucial to regularly visit your eye doctor if you frequently wear contact lenses or on daily basis.

Case Study 1:

A wise person learns from the mistakes of others.

See how a London based fashion designer had put her vision at risk by over wearing her contact lenses.

Case Study 2:

Over wearing expired contact lenses devoured cornea of a Taiwanese Student.

2. Failing to Keep your Colored Contact Lenses Confined to Oneself.

Sharing colored contact lenses with your friends and siblings is not less than a crime. Sharing them may transmit bacteria from your friends’ to your eyes or vice versa. It is critical to not to let use anyone your circle lenses; no not for even an hour. If you suspect that your circle lenses might have been used by someone else in your absence, tossing them off is the best option. Otherwise, doctors recommend to take pain of thoroughly cleansing & disinfecting them.

Case Study:

Earlier in June this year; Guam conjunctivitis outbreak affected 248 people. Sharing contact lenses along with other unhygienic practices stimulated the outbreak.

3. Wearing Substandard Colored Contact Lenses

Colored contact lenses are the new hype in both Eastern and Western part of the world. You are most probably to notice contact lenses in theroadside beauty salons and in your next-door novelty shop etc. Nonetheless online suppliers of contact lenses seem the most prolific & growing sector when it comes to colored contact lenses. Online suppliers of contact lenses especially from China are found to play dirty with the health of the consumers. Be very cautious with whom you are placing your order. Sub-standard or wearing over-the- counter circle lenses can damage your eyes permanently.

Buying circle lenses from authentic online stores like Uniqso lowers the risk as the experts there,  make sure the availability of branded & genuine circle lenses .

Case Study:

Bride went blind after using substandard colored contact lenses for beauty

People sport circle contact lenses when are aiming to create an impact by enhancing their eyes. They are definitely nothing to be afraid of if you simply stay meticulous of health and hygiene. Millions of people are wearing circle contact lenses and doctors are of the view that blindness followed by improper wear of circle lenses is a rare occurrence. Flaunt your style & create an impression with colored contact lenses but first learn how to avoid risks whilst wearing contact lenses

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

How wearing Expired Circle Lenses can Damage your Eyes: Parasite Devours Young Girl’s Eyes for Using Disposable Circle Contacts for 6 Months

Circle contact lenses should not be worn after their expiry even though they feel still the same. Circle contact lenses are medical devices and should be considered the same. Expired circle contact lenses become dangerous because of the protein & lipids accumulation. The bacteria growth on the contact lenses then may transfer to your eyes causing potential damages to the epithelial tissues.  The very same irrevocable damaged were caused by expired circle contact lenses to a young girl from Taiwan; leading to permanent blindness.

It has been reported that a college girl from Taiwan, was found to criminally neglect hygiene with circle contact lenses. She kept wearing disposable circle lenses that were meant for only a month use for half a year, even while sleeping. Continuing to wearing expired circle contact lenses enabled the parasite to devour her both of the corneas without even letting her know.

After being hospitalized, she was found to be suffering from Acanthamoeba Keratitis. Her corneas have had shrunk to half of the size since the parasite “protozon” had almost been done with its damage. Over-wearing circle contact lenses has always been a bad idea; as bad as it is to share your circle contact lenses with someone else.

Read:

1. Over-wearing circle contact lenses damaged the eyes of a fashion designer
2. Conjunctivitis outbreaks due to sharing circle contact lenses

Director of Ophthalmology Wu Jian Liang indicated that the girl had been allegedly using dirty water to wash her face. He thus warned people that either the soft contact lenses or hard contact lenses, they should not come in contact with water in any form as it increases the chances of contamination.

Also Read: Can I wash face wearing circle contact lenses?

Wu said that the girl had failed to maintain proper hygiene of her circle contact lenses. She used expired circle contact lenses & made conditions gross by not taking them out even before sleeping. This also had restricted her to disinfect her circle lenses which lead to this irrevocable damage.

Stick to proper maintenance of circle contact lenses before it is too late. You have already been warned.

Do Sealed & Unopened Circle Lenses Expire too?

Circle lenses after one year of use are considered expire. It is recommended to not to wear circle lenses that are past their expiration. Upon wearing circle lenses regularly; on daily basis or occasionally-circle lenses develop protein accumulation, dirt & debris including scratches which may hurt your eyes. No manufacturer or optometrist will ever suggest you wearing circle lenses beyond their expiration date.

It is therefore an understood fact that circle lenses do expire; however it is still a question if sealed circle lenses that have never been opened also expire? Kindly note that circle lenses whether opened or unopened lose their efficacy and should not be worn when the expiry date has lapsed.

Actually after the expiry date; it is impossible to ensure that the solution in which circle lenses are soaked is still sterile. Let’s find out the verdict of some of the most reputable manufacturers of circle lenses in this regard.

From Acuve Website:

According to the expiry date on my lens package, they’ve expired. Can I still wear them?

No. Once your lenses are past their expiry date we cannot ensure the lenses or the solution are sterile. We do not recommend you wear contact lenses past their expiry date.

From Bausch & Lomb:

Can I use expired products?

The expiration date on a product represents the shelf life of the product from the date of manufacture. After this date we cannot ensure the safety and efficacy of the product and do not recommend using any product once the expiration date has lapsed.

Circle lenses may feel exactly the same even after their expiry date. Still; you should avoid wearing such circle lenses to ensure safety of your eyes. If you haven’t replaced your expired pair with a new one; immediately stop wearing those lenses. If you have stinging feeling, burning sensation, redness or any kind of itching because of your expired product; immediately concern your eye care practitioner. Also; don’t forget to TOSS your expired pair of circle lenses in order to avoid using it again by mistake.

When do you need to throw your Circle Lenses?

Source

This question might have surprised you. Since circle contact lenses are not very much easier to afford; it takes a strong heart to throw the circle lenses you have bought after lots of struggle, research and saving every penny you get as your pocket money. Circle lenses have been quite famous in Lolita community because they add a glorious look. Adopting any fashion style has become possible with circle lenses; however at some unfortunate times you will need to throw the circle lenses you got by your hard-earned money.

Circle contact lenses upon wearing first time may feel strange in eyes. It feels as if a foreign body is constantly moving and will end up getting lost in your eyes. Stays assure; this cannot happen ever. The itching & burning sensation will go away in first 15-20 minutes. If you still find your circle lenses blurry try to trace out the reason for uncomfortable circle lenses.

Conditions when you need to throw your circle lenses

1. If you are afraid you have been fooled around by your doctor or supplier with a fake pair of circle lenses. Try getting in touch with your supplier & inform him about your concerns.
2. If by mistake circle lenses get in contact with floor, wash basin or with anything else other than your fingers and eyes!
3. If they are uncomfortable
4. If you have allergies & sensitive eyes
5. If they are expired
6. If they are damaged 

Circle lenses need up to the mark care. Don’t smoke while wearing circle lenses & don’t stay in warm environments for long duration such as in kitchen.

Remember; circle lenses are designed to keep your eyes comfortable. The only purpose of circle lenses is to make you look beautiful; but how you deal your circle lenses and how you treat your eyes depend on your own behavior. Taking care of circle lenses is your duty and ONLY your duty. Neglecting the safety measures first and blaming the manufacturer later on is not a wise idea. No matter how important that specific pair of circle lenses may be for you; your eyes are MOST important and should always be!

Do Circle Lenses Expire?

Circle lenses may be your most important fashion accessory. They have become fairly common among teenagers of Asian countries. However; with circle lenses you need to stay very careful and vigilant. Your eyes are precious and deserve to be cared for. The attention and focus should always be on saving your eyes rather than saving your money.

Circle lenses are made of hydrogel material which is soft & flexible hydrophilic plastic. This being said; circle lenses consist of 35% to 75%+ water content. The term “hydrophilic” means “anything with strong affinity towards water”.  Therefore; it is obvious by name that circle lenses tend to absorb water to remain supple, fresh & flexible. People with sensitive or dry eyes should select circle lenses with keen attention. The bigger the diameter of the lens; the higher is the rate of water absorption.

Circle lenses have a fixed life. They cannot last long for more than a year at maximum. One should pay attention to the directions provided by the manufacturer. Shelf life of circle lenses is three years. After opening it gets reduced to a year only. Whether or not you wear circle lenses; they will get outdated after 12 months of opening.

Since circle lenses are made from soft plastic- they develop protein accumulation, dirt & debris even when you are properly disinfecting them. Like all medical devices & accessories; circle lenses also follow a validity period. Violating the precaution or wearing them even after the recommended period is over may pose health risks to our eyes including total blindness, corneal abrasions and other infections.

You can make best of your circle lenses by properly disinfecting them and by disinfecting the lens cases. Get beautiful eyes with circle lenses not damaged ones!