7 Fatal mistakes wearing contact lenses & bull; hello healthy

As many as 99 percent of contact lens wearers must have practiced at least one of the following habits, according to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It seems trivial, but there is a high risk of serious eye infection if it is continued. Check if you are one of them too?

1. Wear contact lenses too long

This is the habit he does most often. One reason is convenience and not bothering to go back and forth to buy a new one or go to the bathroom to replace it.

If worn for longer than the intended time, contact lenses can be bad for the cornea (the outer layer of the eye). Although the contact lens coating is made porous to allow oxygen to be absorbed into the cornea, the cornea still needs adequate oxygen intake to keep the eye moist when the contact lens is removed.

Contact lenses, especially the soft type, create warm and humid temperatures for microorganisms such as bacteria, germs, fungi, and parasites to breed. The longer you use contact lenses, these bad microorganisms will start eating away at your cornea for food intake.

2. Sleep does not take off contact lenses

When your eyes are closed, the warm ecosystem that contact lenses have created during your day of activities increases; the activity of germs and bacteria will be even more active.

In addition, contact lenses can also cause scratches on the cornea as a result of continuing to shift while you sleep.

Sleeping with contact lenses is a major cause of corneal ulcers, a type of eye infection that is very painful and difficult to treat. In certain severe cases, corneal ulcers can result in permanent blindness and require a corneal transplant as the only way out to regain normal vision.

3. Carelessly save contact lenses

One of the biggest mistakes that contact lens wearers make is failing to carefully follow the directions for use.

Every contact lens manufacturer on the market will include complete instructions on how to properly store and disinfect. The instructions for each brand may differ, however, if you ignore these instructions, you may damage your contact lenses. In fact, it is likely that it will make you more susceptible to severe eye infections.

Cleaning and disinfecting contact lenses is not the only thing you should always pay attention to. When you place your clean and sterile contact lenses into a dirty place, the microorganisms that have already landed in between your contact lenses can transfer to the lenses and infect the eyes the next time you wear them.

4. Mixing the contact lens fluid

When you refill the contact lens holder with new liquid without wasting the previous used liquid, you will distill the disinfectant solution and make it less effective.

Also, the longer you leave the disinfectant solution in the contact lens case, the more fertile bacteria and germs will breed.

Therefore, it is important to always sterilize and scrub your contact lens holder with a special disinfectant recommended by your optician. Afterward, dry your contact lens holder thoroughly with a clean, lint-free cloth and air it on your stomach. Then, add a new liquid each time you put on contact lenses. Routinely change your storage place every three months to maintain its sterility.

5. Rinse contact lenses with tap water or eye drops

Maybe you've done this once or twice when you ran out of disinfectant at home, or forgot to take a spare with you while traveling.

Tap water contains bacteria (which stick to the tip of the tap and may be carried away by the flow of water), but it also contains amoebae which can cause Acanthamoeba keratitis, a serious eye infection that is difficult to treat. This eye condition creates inflammation in your cornea and results in scarring and vision defects.

Eye drops are used routinely by contact lens users to relieve eye redness, but the ingredients in eye medicine solutions will make it difficult for you to know the exact cause of the irritation you experience when using contact lenses. Use drops that are specifically targeted for contact lenses and make sure they are preservative free.

There is one quick solution for those of you who don't want to bother with all your contact lens cleaning routines: disposable contact lenses. After a day of activities using contact lenses, you can immediately throw them away before bed. A new contact lens every morning will be more ideal for your situation. One of the downsides is that spending on disposable contact lenses is more wasteful.

6. Bathing and swimming wear contact lenses

The reason is the same as rinsing your contact lenses with tap water: Acanthamoeba keratitis.

If you do need contact lenses while swimming, remove them as soon as you get out of the pool and wash your hands thoroughly. Throw out the contact lenses, or rinse them clean and sterilize them for one night before using them again.

7. Using colored contact lenses, without a prescription

This is common with colored contact lenses that are worn only for cosmetic purposes, not to aid vision. You can easily get these colorful contact lenses at accessories outlets in shopping malls or supermarkets.

"In fact, it's illegal to sell cosmetic contact lenses without including an official assessment and examination by an ophthalmologist," says Thomas Steinemann, M.D., professor at Case Western Reserve University.

This is because the size and shape of your cornea are in part determining what kind of contact lens you should wear. If the size of the lens does not match your eye's needs, it can slide and rub against the cornea, causing minor scratches as the main gateway for bacteria to infiltrate the eye.

If you want to wear colorful contact lenses, the smallest step you can take is to buy them at a licensed optical shop. A professional optician can advise you on fashionable and trendy types of contact lenses to suit your eyes, even if you don't really need prescription contact lenses.