Contact lens and eye infections
Gees how mundane can this topic be? Mundane as it is, I think a lot of ppl take it for granted or have a false sense of security that it wouldn’t happen to them.
Recently, Bausch and Lomb has got into trouble with accusations that their ReNu contact lens cleaning solution has caused a spate of eye infections in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and now the USA. These eye infections, if left untreated can cause blindness and the only cure is to have a cornea transplant.
In fact, Kim (kimfluttersby) was hospitalised for something similar because she went to bed with her lenses and woke up the next morning with a bad result. I would link to her actual post but she’s hidden it away. Suffice to say, it wasn’t pleasant and luckily Kim recovered completely.
This news has been reported widely:
Personally I believe that Bausch and Lomb may not be fully to blame. It’s more probably more the case that their cleaning solution is not effective enough in killing the bacterium rather than a direct cause of said infections. Having said that, a couple of common sense tips:
- Do not ever wear your lenses to sleep
- Clean and dry your hands before handling your lenses
- Throw away the containers every so often, or every time you buy new batches of solution – you get a free container with them.
- As soon as you feel discomfort, stop wearing them for a few days. If the irritation or pain persists, see a doctor immediately. Do not brush it off.
17 Responses to “Contact lens and eye infections”
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I went to the optometrist a few years back and apparently I can wear contacts, but when we tried putting some in, I freaked out. I don’t like things touching or being in/on my eyes. Although contacts sound like a good idea and all, I don’t really trust them. You have to keep them clean and everything, and I don’t want to slip up one day and something bad happens, losing my eyesight being an extreme. I don’t want to take the risk, so I think I’ll stick to my glasses
That’s why lazy asses like me don’t use the normal contact lens solutions for their lenses! I use AO Sept, a hydrogen peroxide solution – it comes with its own special chamber which has a neutralising effect causing bubbles to be emitted, thus cleaning the lens. It cleans a lot better than the normal saline solutions.
Of course, the downside of the hydrogen peroxide solution is when you forget that it’s hydrogen peroxide and spray some on your lens, then put it in your eye. Not a pleasant experience :s
Christina: it’s not that bad but I agree that it’s a hassle compared to glasses. That’s why I only wear it once or twice a week when I go out.
Nadia: Woah, hydrogen peroxide. You are hard core. Heh.
i hate glasses, i hate the feeling of it sliding down the nose when i sweat. that’s why i wear contact when i go out and wear glasses in the comfort of my home.
i only wear it when i took a nap, never when sleeping overnight unless in hotel or chalet where i dunn have the container and lotion.
i use Complete lotions, one cannot be lazy for a contact wearer.
Leonard: yeah definitely cannot be lazy. You either keep up with the hygiene, or get laser surgery.
My girl got infected 2x already… it’s until recently that they realise it’s due to that.
I threw away 2 unopened Bausch & Lomb lens solution after it was reported. Immediately switched to AMO Complete Plus. Funny thing is, with AMO, I felt it dries the eyes faster than Bausch & Lomb did. I guess, after so many years, my eyes got used to B&L.
Maybe it’s “safer and more hygienic” to wear daily disposable lens. But it’s so expensive.
Glasses for me are a must immediately after I get home from work and during weekends, even when I go out. Walaupun I know I can get bigger nose than what I have now, due to it sliding down most of the times.
emiriyo: yeah it’s most probably a very inferior product (ie. ReNu) that does not disinfect very well at all. So you think the lenses are clean but they aren’t.
You put them on again and voila! Infection.
kynne: Dry eyes is better than painful, or worse – blind eyes.
I don’t wear daily disposables but 2-week disposables. Even then I can stretch them out to a month or so because I only wear them maybe twice a week.
Other times I’m like you, glasses are much more comfortable especially whilst working in front of the computer in an air-conditioned office.
Solutions aside, there’s an urban legend in singapore about this rather famous JC teacher who dons a glass eye. The lore has it that the contact lens melted in one of her eye during a class BBQ. Apparantly, the official story was that she suffered from glacouma. Guess we’ll never know for sure. To err on the safe side, just dun BBQ with contacts on.
Eh, I also the same. I’m wearing Acuvue Advanced with Hydraclear. Very comfy.
v.u.: I think that’s an urban legend. If the heat was strong enough to melt the lens, you would have felt it and flinch away long before it has time to be melted.
More urban legends about contact lenses here:
http://www.snopes.com/horrors/techno/cornea.htm
Kynne: Cool. I might check it out.
My optometrist told me a few months back that people who use contact lens on a daily basis run the risk of having infection on their inner eyelids. And true enough, a friend of mine caught the said infection.
And never ever ever ever sleep with contact lenses on. I heard of someone who fell asleep with the lenses on and she was not able to take her lenses out the next day. They were stuck. Pretty scary stuff.
But really, contact lens care and hygiene is really common sense
simplysiti: for sure.
That’s spme nice tips you are giving… =)
But I think it all boils down to personal hygiene la.. =S
The best is probably daily disposibles (except a bit more $$). Clean and no need to worry about cleaning the lens!
Heh – I’m one of those who occasionally falls asleep with my lenses on *sheepish*
Actually marcus, I only started using the hydrogen peroxide solution when I came to Perth. I can get away with saline solution in Singapore, but my eyes seem to kick a fuss when I use saline in Perth. Must be the dry weather?
Xia-mi-mi: yes personal hygiene is most important. Imagine losing your sight because you were too lazy??? Damn.
Snowflake: Yes of course but you don’t have to go the expensive route, you just have to be a bit more conscientous about keeping them clean.
Nadia: your eyes are probably more sensitive to the dryness yeah.