Contact lenses: what is the best way to sanitize them? Get expert answers to this and other questions

In addition to cleaning them regularly with lens solution, care should be taken with prolonged use and sleep.

In this week’s Ask the Expert we talk about contact lenses. If you also have questions about health, psychology, wellness, exercise or nutrition, please write to ana.lourenco@estadao.com or send a DM to our Instagram.

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CAN YOU SLEEP WITH YOUR LENSES? ? In this week’s #AskTheSpecialist, we’ll get back to you! Submit your health and wellness questions in the comments and we’ll get back to you! #bemestar #olhos #saude #lentedecontato

original sound – Estadão

Answers André Borba, ophthalmologist and member of the Brazilian Society of Ocular Plastic Surgery (SBCPO).

This is a much discussed topic. For many years now we have been dealing with various problems related to sleeping with the lens. The doctor, of course, always warns about these precautions, both for cleaning and for sleep. After all, the cornea needs to breathe.

Let’s say you went to the pool, swam in your contact lenses, and then fell asleep. The water could be contaminated and the lens could scratch acanthamoeba to be dirty. This is a parasite that can cause a corneal ulcer (an open sore on the cornea, the clear layer in front of the iris and pupil), or keratitis, which is inflammation of the cornea, and become something very serious within hours . the person who loses his eye.

Such as endophthalmitis, an infection inside the eye that is a medical emergency and starts the process of blindness.

This is what happened to American Mike Krumholz, 21, who lost his sight after sleeping for 40 minutes with contact lenses in his eyes.

When the person goes blind from a type of infection like this, we have to remove the contents of the eye with a surgery called evisceration, in which internal structures are removed and an orbital implant is placed. Only after 40 days can the person use the eye prosthesis external, which is aesthetically equal to an eye.

But it is important to remember that even this prosthesis must be removed every day or, in some cases, every week to be washed. Therefore, the hygiene continues.

In order not to reach this extreme case, it is important to avoid entering the pool and the sea with the lens, as well as air-conditioned environments and prolonged reading.

Is the use of eye drops okay for contact lens wearers?

The use of continuous eye drops is not indicated, because each eye has a specific amount of tears, a specific eye sensitivity. So the ideal is to be aware of the symptoms of red eye, dryness and even severe discomfort when using the lens.

A trip to the ophthalmologist can help that lens and the products used are right for your eye. Daily care is all about following the ‘lens rules’, i.e. if your lenses are for daily wear, you should discard them daily. Don’t skimp.

How to sanitize the contact lens?

The box must be clean to receive the lens. Therefore, it is interesting to clean the outside with neutral soap or shampoo daily. There are people who even like to boil the box once a week but don’t need it that much.

Wash your hands before removing the lens, remove them and wash each hand for 20 seconds on each side with contact lens solution. Also be careful not to leave the lens in there for many days with the same liquid, you need to change the material, as that solution can have bacteria that proliferate.

Something that makes all this care difficult is the use of inappropriate products and the sale of lenses without a prescription.

Can you sleep in contact lenses?

At bedtime, the ideal is to remove the lens. A contact lenses it hydrates thanks to tears and when we sleep we reduce the production of secretion, which causes dryness. And wearing the lens itself can mask a possible infection, because it covers the corneal wound and takes time to identify the disease.

Even during sleep the lens can bend, especially in non-lubricated eyes, and rest on the top of the eye, where we call the superior tarsal conjunctiva. Which requires a trip to the eye hospital to have it removed.

The use of contact lenses and make-up should also be taken care of, as it can cause other eye problems depending on the make-up and possible allergies. Furthermore Fake eyelashes, something that is on the rise today, can cause a person to lose their natural eyelashes and change the condition of their contact lenses. It’s all interconnected.

The eyelashes protect the eye and each one has a sebaceous gland which, when clogged, generate styes, which begin to annoy and make it impossible to wear lenses.

* Question inspired by the doubt of the reader Pedro Renato, from São Paulo.

Source: Terra

Ben

Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.