Contact lenses are a convenient alternative to spectacles and are usually considered a safe and effective means of correcting refractive errors; however, their use can lead to problems. The most significant complication associated with frequent use of this medium is eye infections; Contact lens wearers have a higher risk of contracting keratitis (corneal infections), determined by bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus or Streptococcus pneumoniae), viruses (herpes), fungi and Acanthamoeba. In most cases, infections are bacterial, but two outbreaks of atypical keratitis, attributed to the use of multipurpose contact lens solutions, have been reported in the recent past, involving Fusarium (fungus) and Acanthamoeba (amoeba).
Many epidemiological studies have identified the risk factors for contact lens-related keratitis, these are:Â
- wearing contact lenses for a long time;
- wearing contact lenses while sleeping;
-inadequate cleaning of contact lenses and their case;
- reuse and refill of the solution used to store contact lenses.
I symptoms of contact lens-related infections include:
-blurred vision;
- unusual redness of the eye;
-pain in the eyes;
-profuse lacrimation or ocular secretion;
-high sensitivity to light.
Contact lens-related eye infections can degenerate and cause severe vision loss or even blindness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed in a 2015 study that 99% of contact lens wearers have at least one behaviour that puts them at risk of infection. The most commonly reported and age-varying risk habits are: sleeping, resting or swimming with contact lenses and not replacing lenses and their container when necessary.
The CDC, considering the wide prevalence of incorrect contact lens care behaviour and the severity of the resulting infections, has provided some recommendations on how to manage personal habits, contact lens care instruments and eye examinations in order to prevent eye infections caused by wearing soft, rigid, rigid gas permeable contact lenses (RGP or GP).
Good rules to follow
-wash your hands with soap and water and dry them well with a clean cloth whenever you have to handle contact lenses;
-do not sleep with contact lenses unless prescribed by your ophthalmologist;
-Keep water away from contact lenses, avoid showering when wearing them and remove them before a swim or a bath (even in a Jacuzzi).
Instrument care
- Contact lenses
-Wipe and rinse contact lenses with a specific disinfectant solution each time they are removed, never with water or saliva;
-never store contact lenses in water, but use a specific solution;
-replace contact lenses according to the ophthalmologist's instructions.
- Contact lens case
-Wipe and rinse the contact lens case with a contact lens solution (do not use water), then empty and dry with a clean cloth. Store the case upside down with the caps after each use;
-replace the contact lens case at least once every three months.
- Contact lens solution
-Do not refill disinfectant solution, use only fresh disinfectant solution and never mix a fresh solution with an old or used solution;
-use only the contact lens solution recommended by your ophthalmologist.
Eye examinations
-Go to the ophthalmologist once a year or as often as necessary;
-in case of doubt, ask the ophthalmologist how to take care of contact lenses and their storage;
- in case of eye pain, discomfort, redness or blurred vision, remove contact lenses immediately and call your ophthalmologist
Always be prepared:
–Always carry a spare pair of glasses with you in case you have to remove your contact lenses for any problem.
Sources
-Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US Department of Health and Human Services. Risk Behaviors for Contact Lens-Related Eye Infections Among Adults and Adolescents - United States, 2016 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. August 18, 2017 Vol. 66, No. 32.
–https://www.cdc.gov/contactlenses/protect-your-eyes.html#rgp
-Contact lens hygiene compliance and lens case contamination: A review. Wu YT et al. Cont Lens Anterior Eye. Oct;38(5):307-16. 2015.
Dr. Carmelo Chines
Direttore responsabile
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