Most of us wear contact lenses on a day-to-day basis. It is literally our holy grail because we don’t have to go around with our thick glasses on and we can look chic as well. Contact lenses might be convenient and all but there are some bad habits that all of us are guilty of that could potentially get us blind if not fixed. Here’s a list of bad contact lens habits that you get you blind if you continue:
1. Sleeping or taking a nap with contact lenses on cuts off oxygen in your eyes, causing germs to fester in your eyes
Source: Health
We all know that this is a big no no but, there are times where we’re just so exhausted after a night out that we tell ourselves that doing this just once won’t make much of a difference. Truthfully, doing so can really harm the eyes because it cuts off your cornea from receiving oxygen while you’re asleep, and allows germs to fester in your eyes. Sleeping with contact lenses increases the chance of an eye infection by six to eight times so ditch that bad habit once and for all!
2. Clean your contact lens case by rubbing the insides with your clean fingers
Source: wikiHow
It should be done for at least 5 seconds, rinsed off with contact lens disinfecting solution, then wiped dry with a clean tissue. Do NOT clean it with water as water often contain bacteria that’ll get on your stored contact lenses and cause damage to your eye instead.
3. Replace your contact lens case at LEAST every 3 months
It is found that even if you changed fresh contact lens solution every day, there’s bacteria build up inside and outside the case (especially if you store it in your bathroom!). So be sure to change the case at least every 3 months, and avoid your eyes from getting infected!
4. Topping off contact lens solution in the storage case will only harm your eyes
Source: Contacts For Good
Don’t do it! Always throw out existing contact lens solution as bacteria from your fingers have contaminated the previous solution. Don’t be lazy!
5. Swimming with contact lenses on can cause you to suffer from an infection, or worse, go BLIND!
Source: The Style Lens
If you haven’t heard, swimming pools are gross. People literally pee and sometimes even poo in them (we’re talking babies, hopefully not full grown adults). The bacteria level in swimming pools are so high that if you’re planning to swim with contact lenses, it’s best you think quadruple times because bacteria in the swimming pool would attach themselves to the contact lenses and cause your cornea to be inflamed or infected – thus resulting in eye infections, irritation, and potentially sight-threatening conditions such as corneal ulcer.
6. Not disposing your dailies/monthlies contacts according to prescribed period is more dangerous than you think!
Source: All About Vision
You know how sometimes we stretch our monthly contacts use to 6 weeks instead? However, whether your lenses are dailies, or the monthlies, you should never wear your contact lenses longer than you’re supposed to – even if you don’t put them on often. This is because it’s said that the contact lenses gradually lose their shape/water content since they dry up. It’s also because its easier to risk an eye infection from the bacteria build up!
Now that you know, don’t be lazy and take good care of your eyes! Because ultimately, is it really worth losing your precious sight for?
Also read: If You Typically Sleep on Your Arms, You May Just Suffer Dire Consequences
