UK Contact Lenses

Despite the fact that contact lenses are worn by more than 75 million people worldwide and the majority of these people do not experience any problems, complications can arise.

Problems are normally caused by not looking after your lenses properly. If you do not follow the guidelines given by your optometrist, you risk contracting an infection.

If you do feel any discomfort when you wear your lenses, we recommend removing them and making an appointment to see your optometrist straight away.

Contact lens problems are fairly rare and easily treated. This article outlines some of the most common contact lens complications and what causes them.

Corneal Ulcers

Corneal Ulcers are contracted by not cleaning contact lenses well enough. You are most likely to get a corneal ulcer if you wear soft lenses or extended wear contact lenses.

Corneal Ulcers are extremely unpleasant and cause acute pain, redness and discharge.

If you think that you might have a corneal ulcer, you should stop wearing your contact lenses immediately and ask your optometrist for advice.

Corneal Oedemas

Corneal Oedemas are caused by not getting adequate oxygen to your cornea. In the majority of cases you will not experience any physical symptoms if you have a Corneal Oedema. If you do have physical symptoms you might experience eye pain when you remove their lenses and hazy vision.

Regular eye exams can help detect if there is not enough oxygen reaching your cornea before problems actually occur.

Corneal Abrasions

Corneal abrasions can be caused by particles getting trapped under your lenses and scratching your cornea. Corneal abrasions are much more likely to happen with RGP lenses than with soft contact lenses.

Although corneal abrasions are unpleasant you do not normally need medical treatment for them.

Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis

Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis is the most common contact lens complication. It is caused by an immune reaction to the protein in your contact lenses. It causes a number of small swellings to appear on the inside of the eyelids makes your eyes red and itchy.

Although Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis will not damage your eyesight, it will make wearing contact lenses uncomfortable.

Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis is treated by stopping or reducing the amount of time that you wear your contact lenses for. In most cases the temporary use of steroids is also prescribed.

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Are you tired of wearing those rose-tinted spectacles on your nose all the time? Then you should start wearing the contact lens to see the world in a different way. Contact lenses are thin, curved plastic disks that are designed to cover the cornea, the clear front covering of the eyes. These delicate objects cling to the film of tears over the cornea because of the surface tensions. So try out contact lenses as a great alternative to those monotonous eyeglasses.

Who wears contact lenses?

Contact lenses are medical devices that need to be properly fitted by an eye care practitioner. So you should visit an optician before you want to wear a contact lens. Contact lenses are wonderful items that are used to correct eye conditions like:

 Myopia [nearsightedness]
 Astigmatism [distorted vision]
 Hyperopia [farsightedness]
 Presbyopia [need for bifocals]

Contact lenses are also used in therapeutic cases where an uneven cornea blurs vision, such as scarring or keratoconus.

Types of contact lenses

Many types of contact lenses are available to suit particular occasions. Whether you want to wear contact lenses for fashionable purposes or for medical purposes, you can wear any of the following types:

 Gas-permeable lenses – are lenses made of silicone and fluoropolymers that allow oxygen in the air to pass through the lens.
 Soft contact lenses – are plastic materials that incorporate water. The water makes the lenses soft and flexible, which allows the oxygen to reach the cornea.
o Extended wear contact lenses – last for continuous 2-4 weeks.
o Daily disposable lenses – carry a very low amount of infection risk
o Toric contact lenses – available in soft and rigid materials, they correct moderate astigmatism.
 PMMA lenses – one of the old lenses that are very durable and allow oxygen from air to directly reach the cornea.

You should remove contact lenses at bedtime due to risk of infection.

Benefits of contact lenses

For those who lead an active style, contact lenses promise complete convenience and durability.
Following are the benefits of using contact lenses:

 Provides close to natural vision with no side effects
 Provides excellent peripheral vision for driving, and sports
 Contact lenses provide complete ease, comfort and convenience to eyes
 Contact lenses change the eye color to baby blues, heavenly hazels, gorgeous green and other different colors.
 Contact lenses make your eye power stable and prevent it further from increasing.
 Contact lenses are perfect for those who want to avoid laser surgery and its risks.

How to care for your contact lenses?

You should take proper care of your contact lenses to enjoy their best uses.
Following are the ways you can care for your lenses:

 Contact lenses must be cleaned, rinsed and disinfected to remove dust and dirt.
 Contact lenses should never be dissolved in homemade saline solutions.
 Do not sterilize your contact lenses; just throw them away when they become useless.
 Do not take your lenses in and out repeatedly for the whole day.

In case of any inflammations or irritations you should always consult your optician for best results.

Sharon Albright is the owner of Contact Lens Site. Read more articles on Contact Lens and visit her recommended resources.