EYE CARE
It's the best choice
DR. MOHAN RAJAN, DR. SUJATHA MOHAN, DR. BHAMINI K. BENDALE
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Contact lenses are safe and more attractive than glasses but make sure you follow the rules for its care.
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NO MORE SPECTACLES: Contacts are safe and fun. PHOTO: C.V. SUBRAHMANYAM
Contact lens (also known simply as a contact) is a corrective, cosmetic, or therapeutic lens usually placed on the cornea of the eye. It serves the same corrective purpose as conventional glasses, but are lighter in weight and virtually invisible. Many commercial lenses are tinted a faint blue to make them visible when immersed in cleaning and storage solutions. Some cosmetic lenses are deliberately coloured to alter the appearance of the eye
There are different kinds of lenses available. Semi-soft contact lenses are semi-soft to touch and are commonly prescribed for those with high astigmatism or cylindrical power. These are also the best choice for conditions such as keratoconus, where the cornea is excessively conical in its curvature.
Various kinds
Soft Contact Lenses are made from a water absorbing material called HEMA (Hydroxy Ethyl Metha Acrylate) and are very soft to handle and comfortable on the eyes.
Within the Spherical category are the conventional and disposable soft lenses. The first comprises a single pair that can be worn for a period of one year on a daily basis during waking hours. Disposables are the most hygienic option as they are replaced after a particular period — either daily, fortnightly, monthly or quarterly.
Toric soft lenses are used in cases of high cylindrical power or astigmatism. A comfortable option over semi-soft lenses, it is available as both conventional and disposable.
Bifocal contact lenses are prescribed for those who prefer contact lens correction for Presbyopia or difficulty in near vision. These are currently available only in disposable option.
Cosmetic contact lenses are available in different colours and tints, in both power and Plano, with conventional and disposable options. These are principally worn to enhance looks.
Before touching the contact lens or one’s eyes, wash and rinse hands thoroughly. Don’t use an anti-bacterial soap since you may destroy the natural bacteria found on the eye. These bacteria keep pathogenic bacteria from colonizing the cornea.
Complications
Complications due to contact lens wear affect about four per cent of users every year. Excessive use, particularly overnight wear, is associated with most of the safety concerns. The areas that can be affected include the eyelids, the conjunctiva, the various layers of the cornea, and even the tear film that covers the outer surface of the eye.
Once you’ve decided on the product, discuss your plans with your eye doctor. Make sure the tip of the contact lens solution bottle does not touch any surface, including your body as it can become contaminated.
Don’t let tap water run on your contact lenses and accessories, as it can carry a micro-organism called Acanthamoeba that causes serious eye infections. While regular contact lens disinfection procedures do kill Acanthamoeba, they typically don’t kill its cysts.
Clean your contact lens accessories (lens case, cleaning/disinfecting devices, enzymatic cleaner vials and so on) as directed. Lens cases can be rinsed with hot tap water and dried when not in use. Throw out your contact lens case once a month, or as directed, to reduce your risk of infection.
Keep clean
Most importantly, clean and disinfect your contact lenses once a day (those with extended wear contacts should clean and disinfect them when they take them out, unless the lenses are scheduled to be discarded). Not only will your eyes be safer and healthier, but your contact lenses will also be more comfortable to wear.
Remember If your eyes don’t feel good, or you can’t see properly you need a check up. Sometimes a minor irritation, if left untreated, can develop into a more serious problem. Contact lenses have won many customers who are affected by visual problems.
Contacts can be fun, safe, and useful than your eyeglasses, but it needs its own care and has many rules to follow
Why contact lenses?
It is not possible to correct irregular astigmatism with glasses.
Aberrations associated with spectacles are eliminated.
Normal field of vision is retained.
Binocular vision can be retained in patients with large difference in power between the two eyes.
Rain and fog do not condense upon contact lenses as they do on spectacles.
Cosmetically more acceptable.
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