No question that contact lens wearers need to be especially disciplined. You should comply with the hygienic requirements strictly. This includes old lenses replaced in good time to avoid corneal infection. Particularly risky is it, however, with the lenses to fall asleep, write the doctors, Jon Femling and Justin Baca in the “Annals of Emergency Medicine”.
Ironically, this quirk adolescents and adults with contact lenses reports, according to the authors, most of the time. A NAP with contact lenses can increase the risk of inflammation of the cornea. To sleep “with contact lenses is risky and can lead to permanent infection or in some cases, to damage,” – said in the report.
The authors have evaluated the data and cite case examples in which improper handling of contact lenses has led to serious health problems. There are few concrete Numbers. A third of the respondents have indicated, at least occasionally, with the lenses to fall asleep, write the authors with reference to a UK study from 2008. This behavior increased the risk of infection through contact lenses, according to the same study, the Six – to eight-fold. Typically, carriers get in 10,000 contact lens, therefore, one to four per year-a microbial inflammation of the cornea. The ratio could have been due to new lenses but improved, says Steve Arnoff by the American College of Emergency Physicians.
Contact lenses for longer than recommended
In any case, the practical visual AIDS must be treated basically with caution. As the US authors, such as the professional Association of ophthalmologists of Germany (BVA) warns us to care. Pathogens can migrate into the soft Material of the lenses, it is the Association. Lenses are used longer than recommended, be complications to worry about. Wash your hands before Inserting the lenses, take Out, thorough cleaning, and careful storage of the visual AIDS were indispensable.
Lenses should not come with water into contact: “Neglected these rules, paving to pathogens the way to the eye.” Oliver Hoppe, specialist for ophthalmology in Cologne and head of the working group on contact lenses in the BVA advises patients not to wear commercially available contact lenses during the night. Although would have to worry about when an infection is the least of all patients, in fact, a blindness. Could this be done but nevertheless, for example, if Akanthamöben – tiny parasites penetrate the skin through micro-injuries in the horn. “Then it will be very dangerous,” warns Hoppe.
3.4 million Germans have contact lenses
According to the BVA, the number of contact lens wearers in Germany with about 3.4 million people. Do the Dimension and thus the need for comprehensive education. In the United States are estimated to wear contact lenses 45 million people. The US authors of the mentioned cases show not only that an infection of the cornea in a banal way, can be caused. They also show how complicated the treatment is often.
Some patients developed ulcers and perforations (holes), which is a corneal transplant necessary. A microbial inflammation of the cornea often requires hourly administration of antibiotic drops. In one case, it’s about a man who has with his lenses several times a week slept, and with the visual AIDS also went swimming. After had reddened his eyes, and he saw only a blur, he was treated for bacterial and fungal microbial inflammation of the cornea.
Because they had with lenses slept, developed a young people even a corneal ulcer on the eye. This led to the formation of scars. And in the case of a man who wore two weeks the same lenses, diagnosed skin the Doctors a perforated horn, as well as a bacterial infection. His eye could be saved by a cornea transplant.
Contact lenses replace after a predetermined time
Wearers of soft contact lenses are exposed to an additional risk of infection and need to pay attention to the visual AIDS only as long as to use as stated on the label. The professional Association of German ophthalmologists indicates. Depending on the product, they should be after a day, two or four weeks. Because the lenses deposits that are not removed by thorough cleaning to form. There are especially fond of germs are nesting then.
Who contact lenses too many hours has worn or is asleep, it should take as soon as possible from the eyes and then a break until you have recovered. If they remain red and ignite, there is no way to a doctor’s visit is over.
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