When Should you not Wear Contact Lenses?

Last updated on April 17th, 2024 at 02:06 pm

Contact lenses are artificial device which is placed directly on the surface of the eyes used to improve the vision of the eye.

We use contact lenses to correct our vision. We can either use a contact lens to correct the refractive errors such as near sightedness, far sightedness, or Astigmatism sightedness.

Further, we can also use contact lenses to improve the irregularities of the front surface of the cornea.

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What are the Different Types of Contact Lenses?

There are two different types of contact lenses i.e., hard contact lenses and soft contact lenses.   

Hard Contact Lens (Rigid Gas Permeable Lens)

These lenses are usually made from plastic combined with other materials (PMMA-polymethylmethacrylate). They hold their shape and let oxygen flow through the lens to your eye.

PGP lenses are helpful for people with Astigmatism and a condition called Keratoconus.

They are lightweight, nontoxic, durable & cheap.

Soft Contact Lens

It is comfortable and well-tolerated so people mainly choose this lens over other.

There are different types of soft contact lenses:

• Daily wear contacts
  These contacts are only used once before being discarded.
  Daily disposable lenses provide many advantages, such as never needing to clean them, an easy replacement schedule, and a decrease in dry eye and discomfort brought on by contact solutions.
  These contacts are ideal for those who have allergies.

• Extended wear contacts
  These lenses can be worn for overnight or can be reused up to 30 days.
  They are made of flexible plastics that allow oxygen to pass through the cornea. Following each planned removal, it’s crucial that the eyes get a night’s worth of relaxation without lenses.

• Toric contact lens
  These lenses usually cost more compared to other contact lenses and are used by people with astigmatism.
  Toric lenses feature two powers one for astigmatism and another for myopia or hyperopia.

• Colored contacts
  Certain contact lenses can have colored tints added to them to enhance or change eye color making them easier to see when handling and improving contact for outdoor sports like golf.
  It is possible to get novelty effect contact lenses but they must still be treated and maintained the same way as prescription lenses.

• Cosmetic contacts
  These lenses change the look of your eye but do not correct vision.
  They are also used to hide certain eye problems caused by injuries. These lenses must be treated like prescription contacts to avoid getting an eye infection.

• Scleral contact lens
  These lenses stretch over the cornea and rest on the sclera or white part of the eye.
  Their large size helps in the correction of vision problems caused by an irregularly shaped cornea.

• Bandage lenses
  These contacts do not have a prescription built into them instead they cover the surface of the cornea for comfort after an injury or surgery.

What are the Risks of Contact Lenses?

If contact lenses don’t fit properly, they might scratch your eye. So, one has to be careful whilst wearing a contact lens.

The contact lens should be accompanied by eye drops to make sure that the eyes are moist and not dry.

Blockage of oxygen supply to the eyes, irritation, red eye, conjunctivitis corneal abrasion.

When should you not Wear Contact Lenses? 

One should not wear contact lenses under the following conditions:

• One gets a lot of eye infections

• Severe allergies or dry eyes

• If you live or work in an area where it is very dusty

• During a shower, swim, or in a hot tub

• While sleeping

How to Clean the Contact Lens? 

Before handling your contacts or touching your eyes, always wash your hands with warm water and soap.

Any lotion soap or chemical residue that sticks to the lens could result in pain, itchiness, or blurry vision.

Always dry your hands with a clean and fresh towel.

• To clean the contact lens, we should rub it gently with our index finger in the palm of our hand.

• After each use, contact lenses must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.

• They should be stored in a disinfecting solution overnight not in a saline solution.

• Also, we should never use plain or distilled water to clean the contact lens.

Sleeping in contact lenses is not recommended as it can cause a serious eye infection.

If you develop an eye infection (signs like redness, burning, excessive tearing), remove your contacts and consult to doctor.

You should never wear another person’s contacts especially if they have been worn before, as they may spread bacteria & particles.

Wearing contact lenses may cause your eyes to become more sensitive to sunlight, so wear sunglasses with UV protection when in sunlight.

Also, visit an Eye Care Specialist if you have any problems like sudden vision loss, blurred vision, eye pain, infection, or irritation caused by wearing a contact lens.

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By Reshna Jakibanjar
Clinic One Team