According to a study published in last month’s Optometry and Vision Science, the official journal of the American Academy of Optometry, a majority of contact wearers may be failing to properly clean their lenses. The study included 119 contact lens wearers and found that 66 percent of lenses tested positive for bacterial and fungal contamination. Multiple organisms were isolated in over 35 percent of these cases.
Does this mean that contact lenses are not safe? Certainly not. It just means proper care must be taken to avoid potential bacterial and fungal exposure.
If you are overdue for an eye exam, please call us at (800) 334-3145 to schedule an appointment with an experienced NEPA eye doctor today.
Caring for Contacts
Caring for contacts is actually quite simple. In fact, the researchers of this study identified three basic steps people were skipping as the source of most contamination. These are:
- Failure to wash hands prior to touching lenses
- Not allowing lens cases to fully air-dry in between uses
- Mixing different disinfectant solutions in the same case
During your next appointment with one of our ophthalmologists we can discuss your daily contact care and help you find ways to avoid contamination.
To schedule your next appointment with one of our NEPA eye doctors, please contact Northeastern Eye Institute today.