When You Wear Contacts Every Day, This Is What Happens To Your Eyes
Wearing contact lenses is part of life for some people. They are a necessity for individuals who have difficulty seeing things clearly due to vision problems. Meanwhile, others like to simply wear fashion lenses to change the colors of their eyes. Celebrities predominantly use colored contacts to level up their look for red carpet events and photo shoots. Whether it is for vision purposes or not, wearing contact lenses every day can have a negative effect on the eyes.
For people with vision problems, contact lenses can correct their eyesight just like eyeglasses do. But the latter is definitely cost-efficient as you don't need to replace them regularly, unlike contacts — which also need daily care. Not to mention the horror of losing contact lenses in the eyes. Yes, it happens. However, there are instances that contact lenses are preferable to eyeglasses. For athletes and gym-goers with vision problems, contact lenses are perfect for their rigorous activities. Then again, wearing contact lenses for long periods is not advisable. Showering with contact lenses can also have some possible dangers to the eyes.
"The risks associated with contact lens wear are the same for all types of contact lenses (e.g., rigid, soft, extended-wear, daily wear) that are worn," Dr. Bernard P. Lepri, OD, MS, told Medscape in a Q&A. "Wearing contact lenses increases the risk for several serious conditions, including eye infections and corneal ulcers." He also shared that the risks "can even result in blindness" in rare cases.
Contact lenses can make your eyes dry
Tears lubricate and refresh the eyes. People who wear contact lenses every day may experience dry eyes because the corrective lenses can hinder tears from flowing over the cornea. Instead, the clear liquid will go to the contact lenses to keep them soft. If not enough tears lubricate the eyes, one can experience dry eye syndrome — and it's not fun (via Healthline). About 17 million of the 35 million contact lens wearers in the United States have dry eyes from wearing contact lenses, according to research published in journal Optometry and Vision Science (via the National Center for Biotechnology Information).
Experts usually prescribe eye drops for individuals who experience dry eyes. If it is not working, optometrists may advise you to change contact lenses that fit your eyes better. Dr. Justin Bazan, a doctor of optometry with Think About Your Eyes, explained to Romper that "a properly fit contact moves just enough, and allows tears to be pumped in and out of the area below the contact and above the ocular surface. This helps to ensure the ocular surface remains healthy."
Healthline, meanwhile, notes that contact-lens solution can be a cause of dryness. If so, consider changing the product. Some solutions have preservatives, and as you may know, those chemical substances are harmful, especially to the eyes. As a reminder, it's always good to check the label. Other times, the solution is not compatible with the contact lenses, so you may have to switch to other brands (via Verywell Health).