Contact lenses: Tips and guidelines

Contact lenses are thin lenses that are placed directly on the surface of the eye and are used as an alternative to glasses to correct vision issues or for cosmetic purposes. Lenses aim to improve vision, change eye color, or achieve a certain look. Contact lenses vary in types to meet different needs and come in a variety of shapes. The basic types of contact lenses include scleral lenses, such as gas permeable (GP) scleral lenses, which allow oxygen to pass into the eye.

These lenses provide sharp vision and help maintain eye health. In addition, there are soft contact lenses, which are more comfortable and suitable for most users. As for advanced contact lenses, they are specially made for special needs such as keratoconus patients, providing improved vision and treating deformities. There are also therapeutic lenses that are used to treat medical conditions such as dry eye or corneal ulcers. In addition, cosmetic contact lenses are available that are used to change the color of the eye for cosmetic purposes, or for decorative designs for entertainment purposes.

Reasons for use:

Most contact lenses are used to correct vision issues such as: nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, and age-related vision issues. Lenses may also be used for cosmetic purposes.

Types of contact lenses:

• Soft lenses.
• Rigid lenses.

Lens life:

Depends on its type, especially the amount of oxygen penetration into the cornea.

Choosing lenses with an expert.

The right lens is decided together with the ophthalmologist and the optician specializing in contact lenses, who evaluate the conformation of the eye and the solution best suited to the patient’s needs, but also a number of factors: how many hours you wear a day and the attention you intend to pay to maintenance and cleaning. There are soft, rigid, semi-rigid, nocturnal and even permanent ones. Then, among the soft ones, one can choose the duration, ranging from daily, to fortnightly/monthly, to yearly.

Sleeping with contact lenses: 4 facts that will amaze you

• A group of scientists surveyed 1618 contact lens wearers aged 12 to 17 and found that 85% of them maintain at least one potentially eye-damaging habit.
• Forty-four percent of respondents consult the ophthalmologist less than once a year.
• 30% habitually sleep with contact lenses, exposing themselves to a high risk of infection.
• 27% wear contact lenses while swimming, despite the fact that this practice makes them more exposed to germs and bacteria.2

What happens if I take a nap with contact lenses?

It depends on how long you sleep. If, for example, you happen to fall asleep on the bus on the way home or take a nap (of 15-45 minutes), you will not risk anything. You may experience dryness in your eyes and have somewhat blurry vision for a short time at most.

However, in case you sleep through the night with the lenses on, it may become more problematic. In addition, the type of contact lens used can make a difference.

Silicone hydrogel lenses allow more oxygen to pass to the cornea, resulting in less damage. With hydrogel lenses, on the other hand, you may find your eyes red and inflamed when you wake up, also risking damage to the cornea.

The state of your eyes before you go to sleep can greatly influence the situation. If you go to remove your contact lenses a few hours before going to bed instead of doing it a few minutes before, your eyes will be less irritated the next day. Lenses accumulate impurities over hours of wear (even dust!) and become a veritable haven for microorganisms and allergens. Protect your eyes from inflammation, as they pave the way for conjunctivitis.

Potential risks of sleeping in contact lenses.

Sleeping in contact lenses causes several potential risks, including:

• Dry eye: Sleeping in lenses leads to dry eyes, causing irritation and pain.
• Infection: Sleeping in lenses increases the risk of infections such as keratitis or conjunctivitis. Lenses block oxygen from entering the eye, making it easier for bacteria to grow.
• Eye infections: Causes eye irritation and inflammation due to a buildup of bacteria or dirt.
• Corneal ulcers: Using lenses while sleeping leads to painful ulcers on the surface of the eye.
• Deterioration of eye health: Lenses affect long-term eye health and increase the likelihood of vision issues.

Handling contact lenses:

• Wash your hands with soap and water, then rinse and dry them with a lint-free towel.
• Make sure to sterilize the lenses after removing them, and store them in a special solution to keep them moist.
• Remove lenses before swimming or getting into a hot tub.
• Do not wash contact lenses or store them in water.
• Keep contact lenses clean and avoid moisturizing them with saliva.
• Avoid using saline solution to disinfect lenses.
• Wear and replace contact lenses as scheduled.
• Follow contact lens cleaning and storage guidelines.
• Avoid sharing lenses with anyone else.
• Avoid using eye drops while wearing lenses unless recommended by your eye doctor.
• Avoid reusing the previous solution, and change it every time you use it.
• For daily lenses: Discard them at the end of the day, and a lens cleaning solution is not recommended to prolong their use.
• Some experts recommend using disposable lenses once a day if they are used intermittently.

How to handle your lenses if you have to sleep in them.

If you have to sleep in contact lenses, it’s best to follow a few steps to keep your eyes healthy and minimize risks:

• Consult a doctor: Be sure to consult your eye doctor before making the decision to sleep with lenses, as lenses are not designed to be worn overnight.
• Use nighttime lenses: If you need to sleep with lenses, make sure to use the type of lenses intended for night wear, such as lenses that can be used for long periods of time.
• Clean your lenses properly: Make sure to clean and sterilize your lenses periodically, even if you sleep in them.
• Moisturize the eyes: Use moisturizing eye drops to keep your eyes hydrated and reduce the irritation that occurs from wearing lenses overnight.
• Watch for symptoms of trouble: If you experience any pain, redness, or dryness in the eyes, remove the lenses immediately and consult your eye doctor.
• Take care of hygiene: Make sure you wash your hands thoroughly before touching your lenses or your eyes.

Steps for installing and removing it from the eye:

Installation:

• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water, then dry them.
• Remove the lens from the package using your fingertips.
• Place the lens on the fingertip, making sure it is not inverted.
• Lift the upper eyelid using one finger, and hold the lower eyelid with the other fingers.
• Place the lens in the index finger, then place it in the eye.

Removal:

• Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water, then dry them.
• Look up and pull the lower eyelid.
• Touch the bottom edge of the lens with your index finger.
• Pull the lens down to the white part of the eye to avoid scratching the cornea.
• Grasp the lens with your index finger and thumb and pull it out.

How to take care of the eye after using the lens.

For good eye care after using contact lenses, you can follow these steps:

• Wash your hands: Make sure you wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before handling lenses or your eyes.
• Removing lenses: Use your clean hands to gently remove the lenses, and avoid touching your eyes directly.
• Cleaning lenses: If your lenses are reusable, clean them using a specialized lens solution. Make sure not to use plain water or any other non-specialized substances.
• Storage of lenses: Keep lenses in a clean and sterilized case, and avoid leaving them in an unsafe place.
• Moisturizing the eyes: Use moisturizing eye drops if you feel dry or irritated. Make sure the drops you use are compatible with your lenses.
• Get regular eye exams: Visit your eye doctor periodically to check the health of your eyes and adjust the strength of your lenses if necessary.
• Rest and ventilation: Be sure to take breaks if you wear lenses for long periods of time, and give your eyes time to ventilate.

Why you should moisturize the eye after lens use.

Moisturizing the eye after contact lens use is an important step in maintaining eye health and comfort. Here are a few reasons why moisturizing the eye is essential after lens use:

• Avoid dryness: Contact lenses reduce the moisture level in the eye, making the eye dry and leading to discomfort or burning sensation.
• Keep the lens clean: Using moisturizing drops helps remove particles or dirt that accumulate on the surface of the lens, contributing to better vision and preventing irritation.
• Minimize irritation: Lenses irritate the eye if the eye is not moist enough. Moisturizing drops help reduce this irritation and provide a comfortable environment for the eye.
• Improve comfort: Contact lenses cause discomfort if the eye is not sufficiently moisturized. Moisturizing the eye helps improve overall comfort when wearing lenses for long periods of time.
• Protect the cornea: Severe dryness affects the health of the cornea and causes long-term issues. Keeping the eye moisturized helps protect the cornea and prevents any potential damage.

Washing lenses with running water

Using water to store or rinse contact lenses is an idea that has occurred to more or less everyone and could not be more wrong. In fact, tap water, as well as distilled water, can contain parasites, including some amoebas, which are responsible for very serious diseases of the cornea. In addition, water is not suitable for lens cleaning because of the amount of salts it contains and the absence of specific disinfectants. Therefore, always use only saline solution.
Even wearing the lenses under water, whether it is the shower spray, in the pool or at the beach, could cause the same damage: a good solution, in this case, may be to wear swimming goggles.

Forgetting to wash hands before putting on lenses

Your hands are the number one vehicle for contaminants of all kinds, which can remain on your lenses and cause infection and irritation.This is why always washing your hands before handling lenses is essential. Ideally, you should use a soap with disinfectant properties, then you should always dry them thoroughly so as to avoid lens-water contact.

Only wear contact lenses at all times

Lenses should never be worn 24 hours a day. The eye needs to breathe and rest at least a few hours, in addition, of course, to the night. Always having a pair of glasses on hand that you can fall back on at the slightest discomfort or in case a lens is lost is a small, zero-effort measure that could save our eyesight and our day.

Actions to take:

• Consult your eye doctor if you experience symptoms such as: Redness, pain, light sensitivity, blurry vision, or swelling.
• Refrain from smoking; studies show that contact lens wearers who smoke experience more issues than non-smokers.
• Avoid using cosmetic lenses sold in beauty shops.
• Get an annual eye exam when wearing contact lenses.
• Keep your nails trimmed to avoid scratching or hurting your eyes.

Frequently asked questions:

Do contact lenses provide protection from the sun’s harmful rays?

Certain contact lenses may meet the American Optometric Association’s UV protection requirements, but if you don’t use such lenses, you should wear sunglasses that block as much UV radiation as possible.

Can you sleep with prescription lenses?

Sleeping with contact lenses can cause many eye issues such as: corneal ulcers, eyelid swelling, eye infections, corneal scratching, and dry eye: Corneal ulcers, puffy eyelids, eye infections, corneal scratching, and dry eyes.

Is it okay to wear contact lenses while exercising?

Contact lenses can be worn during sports activities; however, we advise against wearing lenses while swimming or being in water, as this is harmful to the eyes.

Conclusion

If it happens one night that you forget to remove your contact lenses before going to sleep, you should remove them as soon as possible in the morning. If you have difficulty removing the lenses (it is possible, given the dryness of the eye), you can moisturize the cornea with a sterile contact lens solution and blink several times before trying again.

Finally, avoid wearing lenses for the entire next day and pay attention to how your eyes feel: if you experience itching or irritation, contact your doctor immediately. If you fear an eye infection, it is a good idea to keep the contact lenses you just removed so that your doctor can examine them and look for useful traces of what the infection is.