Should contact lenses be "disposed once a day but used once a week"? Doctor: If you wear it incorrectly, you may risk corneal cell necrosis!
Will you wear contact lenses in winter? Beware of “corneal cell necrosis” if you wear too much
In autumn and winter, the air is dry and cold, coupled with environmental changes such as dust explosions and air pollution. Do you need to be more careful about damaging the cornea when wearing contact lenses? Dr. Zhuang Yawei, director of the Department of Ophthalmology, Taichung Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, said that the comfort of contact lenses comes from the water content of the lenses. When exposed to cold air or indoor heating for a long time, the moisture on the ocular surface will be lost faster, and the water content of the contact lens lenses will decrease. It is easy to increase the foreign body sensation when wearing, causing eye discomfort, stinging, redness, and tears, resulting in the phenomenon of “short wearing” of contact lenses.
Dr. Zhuang Yawei pointed out that it is not recommended to wear contact lenses for more than 6-8 hours. If worn for too long, the proteins in the tears will block the pores on the lens surface that maintain oxygen flow, resulting in a decrease in lens permeability and corneal hypoxia. . Mild corneal hypoxia can cause corneal edema and decrease in visual field clarity. Severe cases may cause corneal epithelial damage and even abnormal neovascular proliferation, affecting the overall function of the cornea. Once corneal cells become severely necrotic, permanent vision loss may occur.
Dr. Zhuang Yawei reminds that if you need to wear contact lenses for a long time and face harsh air and environmental conditions, timely supplementation of artificial tears can quickly increase the moisture content and comfort of the lenses. However, it must be preservative-free. A safe option is artificial tears that come in single-serve packages. Avoid preservatives adsorbing on the lens surface and covering the cornea for a long time, which may indirectly cause corneal damage or keratitis.
Should daily disposable contact lenses be used for weekly disposable contact lenses? Beware of corneal damage that increases the chance of infection
Some people extend the wearing time limit of contact lenses for economic reasons, and even “dispose them once a day and wear them weekly” or “throw them once a week and use them monthly.” Dr. Zhuang Yayu said that contact lenses are divided into daily and monthly lenses. Throwing, weekly throwing and long-wearing types have slightly different materials and techniques. For example, “daily disposable” contact lenses are the thinnest type of contact lens material. Their durability, toughness, and cleanability are all designed to be worn comfortably on the same day and then discarded. Repeated wearing can easily cause the lens to become permeable and transparent. Poor oxygenation increases the risk of corneal damage.
Dr. Zhuang Yawei reminded that some young people wear contact lenses repeatedly. When the cornea is in good health, they will not notice any obvious symptoms. When corneal injury occurs, it is often “too late.” In addition, daily, monthly, and weekly disposable lenses can be cleaned to different degrees. Wrong wearing them will not only easily cause long-term hypoxia in the eyeballs, but also increase the chance of infection. Once it affects the health of your eyesight, you must follow the instructions or consult an ophthalmologist to wear them correctly.
In addition, excessive contact lens wear may increase the risk of dry eye syndrome. Dr. Zhuang Yawei explained that when the cornea is hypoxic for a long time, a large amount of water on the ocular surface is absorbed by the lens, and the surface of the eyeball is prone to dryness and chronic inflammation. In the long run, it is indeed easy to cause dry eye syndrome. The curvature of the cornea is different for everyone, and commercially available lenses may not always adhere to the corneal surface. Wearing unsuitable lenses for a long time will also increase the risk of corneal injury.
Dr. Zhuang Yawei reminded that due to differences in lens materials and hydrophilicity, lenses with higher hydrophilicity are more comfortable, but water on the ocular surface is easily absorbed, which will lead to a decrease in corneal oxygen permeability for people with dry eyes. It is recommended to evaluate the tear condition before wearing to facilitate the selection of suitable contact lenses.
If a foreign object is detected, unplug it immediately! Precautions before, during and after wearing contact lenses
Dr. Zhuang Yawei suggests that you should consult an ophthalmologist before wearing to choose the lens material that suits you; you can add preservative-free artificial tears in time during wearing to extend the wearing comfort on the day. You can also use goggles or full-face lenses. The safety helmet adds physical protection and blocks discomfort factors such as air pollution.
In addition, you should pay attention to the use period of contact lenses. Dr. Zhuang Yayu pointed out that unopened expired lenses may be contaminated due to deterioration of the preservation solution, so it is best to avoid wearing them. Once you find your eyes are red or have a foreign body sensation after wearing them, do not hesitate to remove the lenses immediately, and do not wear contact lenses again that day to avoid eye damage and infection.
Dr. Zhuang Yawei suggested that wearing contact lenses is like wearing an N95 mask. If the cornea is not allowed to breathe for a long time, it will easily become hypoxic. You can wear regular glasses and contact lenses alternately to give the cornea some breathing space. In addition to avoiding wearing contact lenses to sleep, you should also avoid contact with sewage, stream water, hot spring water and other water sources while wearing them. Some people have been infected with amoeba and caused serious eye damage.
Finally, be sure to thoroughly clean and remove protein after removing the lenses. It is recommended to replace the storage box every 3 months to avoid corneal damage caused by minor scratches. Dr. Zhuang Yawei emphasized that when wearing contact lenses, you must follow the usage principles and do not wear them for more than 6-8 hours at a time. “Weekly disposable” lenses should be calculated from the number of days after use rather than being worn arbitrarily 7 times. Correct use of contact lenses ensures healthy corneas and maintains good vision.
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