It’s vital that you know how to look after your contact lenses properly so that you’re protecting your eyesight – yet it seems that many people out there are still unaware of how to do this, highlighting the importance of good hygiene and the use of contact lense cases.
According to a new BBC report, former travel company director Irenie Ekkeshis lost the sight in one of her eyes after handling her lenses with wet fingers. After visiting the doctor believing she had a little infection that would clear up quickly, she was told she had acanthamoeba keratitis, an eye infection caused by microorganisms in tap water, swimming pools and sea water.
It affects approximately 125 people in the UK each year, with the majority of cases associated with contact lens use – which may be a stark warning to many out there who are perhaps less concerned with hygiene when it comes to using their lenses.
Ms Ekkeshis said: “I hadn’t had a shower or gone swimming in my lenses. But I learned that even washing your hands and not drying them properly before handling lenses can cause it.”
Before applying your lenses, make sure you wash your hands thoroughly but don’t use oily or scented soap as this can stick to the surface of the lens. When removing them, always wash your hands and dry them properly before touching the lenses. Always keep your lenses in a proper storage case and clean and disinfect both regularly, following your optician’s instructions.
Never put your lenses in your mouth or use saliva to wet them, don’t top up the old solution in your lens case (instead throw the old solution away and replace it completely), and always rub your lenses when you clean them even if you’re using a no-rub solution.
