Dry eye, information and care

Advice from Professor Charles McMonnies

Too many contact lens wearers are heading for trouble…

Contact lens complications are not so rare if they happen to you. After several weeks, months or years of wearing contact lenses and without experiencing a lot of complications, people with poor lens wear and maintenance habits often mistakenly form the view that following the rules of good lens management is unnecessary.

A lottery analogy can help to show how this view is incorrect. In the case of lotteries, the more tickets you buy, the more frequently you buy them and the longer you continue to buy them, the better the odds are that you will win a prize.

The same principles apply to the odds of experiencing contact lens complications. The more often you break the rules, the greater the number of ways, you break them, and the longer you continue to break them, the better the odds are that you will experience complications. However, instead of winning, you lose.

The chances of ‘winning’ small prizes are greater. In these cases comfort levels could be reduced, and/or vision could be less clear, and/or eyes could become constantly red and tired looking.

The chances of ‘winning; a larger prize are less but the consequences are more serious. Lens wear may have to be abandoned temporarily, or in some cases a permanent return to spectacle wear might become necessary.

The chances of winning first prize are even less, but the consequences are even more serious. An infection might lead to permanent vision loss, in addition to having to abandon lens wear. Studies show that poor hygiene causes infections, not the lenses.

How easy is it to increase the chances of these complications?

Not washing hands with soap, and rinsing thoroughly, prior to lens handling.

Re-using or topping-up storage solution.

Not using enough storage solution to completely cover lenses.

Not keeping the storage case clean and not replacing regularly.

Contaminating the solution bottle nozzle with fingers, or by leaving cap off.

Using tap water to rinse your lenses or case.

Not cleaning and rinsing lenses after removal.

Using products that have not been recommended for your type of contact lenses.

Failing to have regular re-assessment of your ocular health.

Wearing lenses while swimming, or in a hot tub, or spa.

Sleeping in lenses, especially if unwell or if lenses are uncomfortable.

Continuing to wear contact lenses when you eyes are abnormally red, or irritated, or when vision has deteriorated suddenly.

Thirteen is an unlucky number of ways to get into trouble, and the more of these ‘tickets’ you ‘buy’ and the more often you ‘buy’ them, and the longer you keep ‘buying’ them, the better are your chances of losing.

I wish you a long and successful career as a contact lens wearer, but you may have to improve your performance.

Professor Charles McMonnies, School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales.

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