3 Ways you are Wearing Contact Lenses Wrong: First Contact Lens Week, 2014 (Health Reminder 2)

Play your role in prevention against conjunctivitis, keratitis & neovascularisation through wise use of contact lenses. 

“Contact lenses offer many benefits, but they are not risk-free”; said Dr. Cope, a CDC medical epidemiologist at a conference. Contact lenses thus may be the prime reason of several outrageous ocular injuries & chronic vision threatening infections if not used appropriately. Practicing healthy habits & introducing vision-friendly measures with contact lenses can save you from the gross aftermath of using these medical devices the wrong way.

Prevention is better than Cure

• How to protect yourself from Keratitis?

Keratitis is an infection of the cornea- front layer of iris. It can cause blurred & hazy vision leading to permanent vision loss and acute pain along with other deathly symptoms. If you wear contact lenses, you need to stay more vigilant as you are prone to developing ocular infections.

Case Study: How Common are Acanthamoeba Related Ocular Infections?

What You Need to Do?

Stay very cautious about your contact lenses. Never allow water to come into contact with your contact lenses. Water contains a virus “acanthamoeba Keratitis” and letting your contact lenses make a contact with water is like welcoming the corneal-devouring parasite to your most precious & only set of eyes. Always air-dry your contact lens cases.

• How to protect yourself from Conjunctivitis?

Conjunctivitis is the inflammation of the conjunctiva- the white layer of the eye. It is also known as pink- eye disease. It can cause teary eyes, inflammation, itching, irritation, and discharge along with other symptoms.

Case Study: Sharing Contact Lenses Promoted Guam Conjunctivitis Outbreak

What You Need to Do?

As a contact lens wearer; you are at a risk of developing conjunctivitis. Therefore, make special preventive measures for the sake of your eyes. Do not share your contact lenses with anyone. Also avoid falling for substandard and cheap contact lenses.

• How to Protect yourself from Neovascularisation

Neovascularisation occurs when your eyes become oxygen-starved. Since eyes draw its oxygen from the open environment than from the body, they grow blood vessels to fulfill the requirement when there is a blockade. The blood vessels may rupture when you discontinue wearing contact lenses, but in severe cases with excessive growth of blood-vessels you are left with horrendous permanent eye scarring & eye sore.

Case Study: How Over-Wearing Contact Lenses Affected London Based Fashion Designer

What You Need to Do?

To prevent your eyes from neovascularisation always take note of following:

Never over-wear contact lenses. This includes wearing contact lenses exceeding the daily limit of 6 hours and wearing contact lenses past their expiry.

Also;

1. Do not sleep in your contact lenses
2. Go here to find out if you are also over-wearing contact lenses.

“There is no question that many people love to use contact lenses instead of spectacles. Using contact lenses, however, does carry the risk of infection and, in extreme cases, blindness,” added by CDC team. Always wear FDA approved circle lenses & ensure a pragmatic approach to contact lens disinfection to lead a safe life.

4 Contact Lens Life Hacks

You will be surprised to realize that contact lenses do not only help you alter your vision but also offer awesome life hacks to cut down the tedious jobs in various of your life matters. If you wear contact lenses; trust us, you have got hundred of the reasons to be thankful to your contact lenses.

• Recycle Old Contact Lens Cases

Contact lens cases should be replaced every 3 months. This leaves you with a drawer full of old contact lens cases. Don’t throw this garbage of old contact lens cases as they can be ingeniously recycled. Old contact lens cases can be used as a perfect travel-sized kit for ointments, collecting accessories like cufflinks, buttons, tops etc. You can even recycle these cases for carrying sauces at picnics or turn it into a first aid box to carry saline solution at a go for sports.

P.S Saline solution is also used to heal minor wounds.  

Also Read: Recycle used contact lens cases or Make an Ear-Bud Detangler

• Got Minor Wounds? Resort to Contact Lens Solution

Since contact lens solution is basically a disinfectant; it can be safely used to cleanse small wounds and minor injuries. It kills germs, washes away impurities and helps surface tissues recover quickly. Contact lens solution effectively cleanses scratches & minor bruises.

• Having Nasal Congestion? Resort to Saline Solution

Saline solution is the same solution used in ordinary nasal congestion sprays. If you have bad sinuses with clogged nasal passages, feel free to instill a drop or two of saline solution in your nose to help clear the nasal passages. It removes the mucus & decongests the clogged passages.

• Got Chunky, Beady Mascara & Eye liner? Let Saline Solution Revive its Gone Life

Have your mascara or liquid eye liner gone crazy? If it has dried or become chunky and beady, don’t be too hasty at throwing it in the bin. Revive a new life to your dried out liquid makeup using your ordinary saline solution. It helps diluting the mascara and makes it perfect to be used again.

What contact lens life hacks do you have to share with us?

UNIQSO Observes First Annual Contact Lens Health Week with CDC (Health Reminder 1)

Center of Disease Control & Prevention marks first annual “Contact Lens Health Week” in close collaboration with partners from 17^th Nov to 21^st Nov. The purpose of campaign is to promote healthy living & reduce the risk of infections through improper use of contact lenses. Uniqso; being the legit circle lens supplier considers it a prime duty to promote the healthy life style among masses by eliminating the chances of CLID (Contact Lens Induced Diseases)

Campaign echoes; “You have only one pair of eyes, take care of them”. Over 30 million of people wear contact lenses regularly in United States & 125 million people around the globe. According to a research nearly 93% of contact lens wearers are more inclined towards taking short cuts which is an alarming fact. The dirty practices are increasing the burden of Keratitis- a corneal devouring infection that increases the risk of permanent vision loss.

"Keratitis associated with poor contact lens hygiene is preventable. Prevention efforts should include surveillance, improved estimates of the burden of disease, and vigorous health promotion activities focused on contact lens users and eye care professionals (ophthalmologists, optometrists, and opticians). Increased surveillance capacity is needed for microbial keratitis, in particular data from optometrist visits," bunch of doctors at CDC conclude.

If you are a contact lens wearer; ensure the implementation following practices in your routine religiously:

1.  Keep your circle lenses safe to wear
2. Take care of your eyes if you wear circle lenses in a routine

Contact Lens Case Care:

1. How To Take Care of Contact Lens Cases?

• Sterilize contact lens cases
• Wiping contact lens cases with tissue reduces contamination risks

2. Prevention is Better than Cure: Keeping Contact Lenses Away from Water

• Don't wash face with contact lenses in eyes
• Avoid Swims & baths when wearing contact lenses
• Protect your eyes when wearing contact lenses at beach
• Don't store circle lenses at humid places such as in or near bathrooms

3. Disinfect your Circle Lenses Wisely: Make Sure when You are Disinfecting your Circle Lenses, You are Actually Disinfecting them

1. Don't top off contact lens solution
2. Topping off contact lens solution reduces the efficacy of disinfectant

Contact lenses are helping millions of people around the globe. Let us play our role by being careful about what goes into our eyes and how. As a sensible consumer of contact lenses and a loyal citizen of your country you must play an active role in reducing the risk of ocular injuries instigated by contact lenses. Even though Acanthamoeba Keratitis related injuries are rare; it is always better to stay cautious. Click the image below to find out if you need immediate help of your optometrist on this regard.

Buying Circle Lenses Online VS Buying from an Optometrist

Circle lenses and contact lenses enable you to see clearly because they correct the refractive index error as perfectly as your conventional set of glasses do. Furthermore, circle lenses when bigger in diameter tend to create an illusion of wider eyes for an appealing personality. Since circle lenses are a vogue they can be purchased from anywhere easily but if you are concerned about the safety of your eyes then you should contemplate through judging the various alternatives. 

Circle Lenses & Role of Optometrist

Circle lenses are medical devices, everyone keeps repeating the fact. Yes they are; but it does not restrict you to buy them from your optometrist only. To be on a safe side; you should meet your doctor once a year to ensure that your vision is not threatened. Getting a fresh prescription is also mandatory so you don’t go blurry or hazy when wearing circle lenses.

Also Read: How important are contact lens follow-ups?

You can purchase your contact lenses from your optometrist, but they might be expensive for your pocket. Optometrist has bills & several other expenses to bear that a hefty price tag of optometrist- purchased circle lenses fully cover.   Contrary to this, buying your circle lenses from an online source saves you a great deal of money. However, it is of course your duty to thoroughly judge the various online retailers. There are online sellers involved in heinous crime of selling fake lenses, therefore be warned and vigilant.  

Buying Circle Lenses Online

You are safe to buy your circle lenses online if your chosen online retailer is making sure the implementation of:

1. Flexible return & exchange policy
2. Availability of branded and FDA approved contact lenses
3. Unbiased product reviews
4. Ensuring awareness about both pros and cons of the contact lenses
5.  Secure payment & shipping

Also Read: From where to buy affordable circle lenses?

Do remember that everything has side effects. Circle lenses are never free from risks especially if you are lazy enough to stay meticulous about the handling & maintenance. Eye care professionals opine that children aged 9 and above can safely wear contact lenses but we would go a step ahead and will only recommend wearing circle lenses only if you are mature enough to watch your own steps- it has nothing to do with your calendar age but with the maturity of your mental status!

Are Circle Lenses Really the Reason Behind Surging Ocular Infections?

Relation b/w circle lenses & eye infections

In United States alone, nearly 1 million eye infections are reported every year with most of them being directly or closely linked with the improper usage of circle contact lenses. This Thursday, Center for Disease Control & Prevention unveiled new statistics that hold the immature approach of customers towards circle lenses responsible for potential infections.

FDA approved circle lenses ensure risk-free usage thus restricts CLID (circle lenses induced diseases). However; improper usage, criminal negligence & failing to handle them properly may lead to superficial damages. In some cases, patient may even lose the eye sight for ever depending upon the severity of the infection.

Also Read: Are contact lenses really worth the risk?

Stick to Prescription & Ensure Follow-ups

• It is necessary to understand that circle lenses are medical devices and they should be handled likewise. You need to stick to the prescription with regular follow ups. Even if you do not wear circle lenses for correcting refractive index error; you must make it sure to meet your eye doctor at least once a year to overrule any chances of ocular injuries. Sometimes, frequent wear or over-wearing circle lenses exert pressure and eye strain about which the patient stays oblivious of.

Also Read: How important are contact lens Follow-ups?

• Internet is flooded with horrendous contact lens stories but let them not scare you. If you are adult enough to take responsibility of other affairs in your life than you are probably mature enough to be a wise consumer of circle lenses. It is easier to take short cuts when you wear circle lenses; but once you involve yourself in healthy contact lens habits you will discover that not only they are saving your time & energy but are also laying strong foundations for a an older yet healthier you.

Also Read: Minor life style improvements ensure safer contact lens wear

Circle lenses should not be usually a problem. If you detect any discomfort even upon wearing FDA approved circle lenses then it should be enough to ring the bells for you. Immediately put them off and examine them for any manufacturing flaws. If they appear fine & discomfort persists, you should hurry to set an appointment with your doctor to overrule the chances of any ocular injury that is beginning to unveil itself by showing such minor symptoms of inflammation, scarring, itching & teary eyes.