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Sight Unseen
When it comes to visual aids, nothing can beat a pair of contact lenses, in terms of convenience,
aesthetics and comfort. So go ahead and throw away your tortoise shells for these barely-there pieces of plastic or glass. What you should realize however is that, in essence, you are putting a foreign object into one of your most sensitive sensory organs - your eyes. The corollary: Your contact lenses should be showered the same sanitary standards as a newborn's incubator. Treat them with anything less, and they will repay you with a clutch of bacterial, viral and fungal infections that may range from the merely tiresome to the vision destroying. "Contact lens wearers are 10 to 15 times more likely to develop an eye infection than a non-wearer," warns Dr. Arthur. Ironically, these vision aids can actually work as protective shields for your eyes provided you devote on them the TLC they demand.So how do you know whether you're practicing scrupulous hygiene or not? Dr. Mehta takes you through all the eye crises a pair of filthy contacts can put you into. Here's what your orbs will tell you.
Eye Crisis No.1
You experience: Headache after removing lenses that stays with you for several hours; severe pain, redness and irritation in and around the eyes.
Likely culprit: Acanthamoeba
Dangers: Corneal ulcers; if neglected, the infection could spread to other areas like the skin and even the brain, with little chance of recovery.
What to do: Run to your ophthalmologist post haste, for a prescription of antibiotics, eye drops, et al.
Eye Crisis No.2
You experience: Sudden blurring of vision, redness or irritation that persists even after removing the lenses; pain in and around the eyes; sensitivity to light; excessive tearing or discharge.
Likely culprit: Fungal or Bacterial Keratitis. A bacterial
or fungal infection of the cornea is actually an unusual event because the cornea has its own natural defenses that make it impermeable to these microbes. However persistent disregard to hygiene can alter this mechanism and cause their entry through a cut or sore in the cornea.Dangers: Corneal perforation; scarring; grayish-white lesions (if it's the fungal variety) that may require surgical intervention. A bacterial infection can strike any part of the cornea but is most dangerous when it affects the centre, which could lead to permanent loss of vision.
What to do: Since complications can develop rapidly, you need to see an eye specialist stat. Depending on the cause (bacterial/fungal) and severity of the infection; you'll be prescribed antibiotic eye drops and salves/topical or oral antifungal agents. More serious cases may need surgery.
Eye Crisis No.3
You experience: Reddening; pain and swelling in the cornea; eye discharge; constant irritation.
Likely culprit: These symptoms mimic common varieties
of conjunctivitis or simple allergic reactions, but in contact lens users, they may be due to a condition called Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis (signified by swelling of the eyelids) or Superior Limbic Kerato Conjunctivitis.Dangers: Both conditions can result in permanent scarring of the cornea and subsequent diminished vision.
What to do: After treatment, your ophthalmologist may advise cutting short lens wearing time; improving eye hygiene and lens care; or a lens replacement. In severe cases, contact lens use may need to be discontinued for several weeks.