There are many things that would frighten a contact lens specialist: Visine, trial orders, and expired contact lens solution to name a few. Scary, absolutely scary.
But the most terrifying event would have to be students who over wear or misuse their lenses. Some UH students don’t know what type of lens they are wearing, and no, knowing that it is soft is not enough. Others don’t know what solution they are using, and this could be important. In 2006, Bausch and Lomb had to pull Renu with Moisture Loc off the shelves due to contamination. If a solution goes on recall, students need to make sure they are safe from any harm.
There are many advancements that make contact lenses comfortable over the years, but many optometrist wonder if we have gone too far.
“There are many reasons to be concerned,” Dr. Rhonda Anderson said. “You can get infiltrates (this is debris that can get in between the contact lens and your eye), Neovascularization (where blood vessels grow into the cornea to supply it with oxygen), giant papillaryconjunctivitis (blisters on the eye lid) that can do serious damage to the cornea.”
Dr. Rhonda Anderson is a UH College of Optometry graduate and has been an eye doctor for 20 years. She has seen what can happen to contact lens patients who don’t take care of their eyes.
“When I ask if students have been sleeping in their lenses, they usually tell me ‘no’, but when I look at their eyes under a slit lamp I can see signs of (corneal swelling) and I have to change the type of lens that they are wearing to get the (swelling) to go down.”
Dr. Anderson says that there are steps that students can take to protect their vision.
“Only sleep in contact lenses that are approved for overnight wear; Air Optix Night and Day and Pure Vision are a few that patients can sleep in for a full 30 days.”
“Wash your hands before taking out your contact lenses. It sounds rudimentary, but you will be surprised at how many infections can be avoided by this simple habit.”
“Always use fresh solution. I like how my contact lens specialist says it: ‘don’t try to save money by stretching the bottle of solution, because you will get an infection, it will be bad, and you will pay the copay every time you come in.’ The bottle should last one month, if it is lasting longer than you are not using it enough.”
“Lastly, remember that contact lenses are a medical device and treat a medical diagnosis. You need a current prescription, and in Texas contact lens prescriptions expire after a year. Be sure to schedule yearly checkup with your eye doctor.”
