CBS news has reported the vast ways contact lens wearers are putting themselves at risk for infection. With a report based on 1,000 contact wearers the findings were over the top with a high percentage of users who are not careful when it comes to contact lens safety. May it be laziness or non educated patients, the result show that contact lenses should be taken seriously. Take a look at the results below from the CDC (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention):
A new report out Thursday from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds that virtually all contact lens wearers admit to at least one safety lapse that could increase their risk of an eye infection. Nearly one-third sought medical care for a red or painful eye condition that might have been preventable through more sanitary handling of contact lenses, the CDC said.
The report is based on a nationwide survey of about 1,000 contact lens wearers age 18 or over.
Ninety-nine percent of contact lens wearers surveyed admitted cutting corners in their contact lens hygiene at least once, in a way that could increase the risk for eye infection or inflammation.
The most common offense: napping in contact lenses.
More than 87 percent admitted they’d fallen asleep in their contacts at some point.
Just over half said they’d slept overnight with their lenses in. While certain contact lenses are FDA approved for overnight wear, the CDC says sleeping in any type of lens can increase the risk of eye infections.
Almost 85 percent ever showered with their lenses in, and 61 percent went swimming with them, even though health officials say lenses should not come in contact with water.
Lens cleaning habits also left something to be desired, with 55 percent of users sometimes “topping off” their lens case with more disinfecting solution, rather than emptying and cleaning the case before filling with fresh solution, as recommended.
And more than a third of those surveyed had rinsed their lenses in tap water instead of sterile disinfecting solution, a potentially risky move. “Household tap water, although treated to be safe for drinking, is not sterile and contains microorganisms that can contaminate lens cases and contact lenses and cause eye infections,” the report says.
To help reduce the risk of eye irritation or infections, the CDC offers the following tips:
- Never sleep in contact lenses unless advised to do so by an eye care provider.
- Keep all water away from contact lenses. Avoid showering while wearing contact lenses, remove them before using a hot tub or swimming, and never rinse or store contact lenses in water.
- Replace contact lenses as often as recommended by an eye care provider.
- Discard used solution from the contact lens case and clean it with fresh solution, never water, every day.
- Store contact lens case upside down with the caps off after each use.
- Replace the contact lens case at least once every 3 months.
- Visit an eye care provider as often as recommended by your primary health care provider
- Remove contact lenses immediately and call an eye care provider if you are experiencing eye pain, discomfort, redness, or blurred vision.
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