(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Contact lens abuse is leading to a rise in numbers of infections and diseases, according to field experts in the UAE.
Doctors are urging users to be aware, as "a few minutes of neglect could lead to blindness or even removal of the eye".
"It takes just one simple mistake for a contact lens user to have the risk of going blind," said Dr Hamed Anwar, consultant ophthalmologist, corneal, cataract and refractive surgeon, Moorfields Eye Hospital Abu Dhabi.
"Infections from contact lenses can be so severe that it can cause a hole in the eye, which certainly means the person can go blind. A few minutes of neglect can change their lives forever."
Dr Anwar said the number one rule is to never sleep while wearing contact lenses. "Soft contact lenses are divided into daily disposables and extended disposables, and although the extended lenses were FDA approved for use over night, they had discovered that sleeping with them increases the risk of eye infections.
"You don't run that risk in wearing daily contact lenses, because you take them off at night."
He added that sleeping with contact lenses can also cause severe scaring. "The vision will become awful and they won't be able to see clearly because of the scar."
Dr Anwar advises users to ensure they purchase contact lenses from a doctor or an optometrist; not from online sources as there is no guarantee about their safety. "It's crucial to have an expert instruct the user and it is important to purchase lenses that are by a reputable brand."
He said people often abuse contact lenses because they are simply unaware about the dangers involved. "Contact lens users in the UAE are often in their late 20s and often have busy and active lifestyles - waking up early and sleeping late - whereas in the UK, they are usually in their late 30s."
"Some users often forget and sleep with their lenses still on, but if people are told what happens, they would never repeat it."
He explained that the lenses are similar to micro-sponges and are exposed to pollution, insects and dust, which are rapidly attracted to the lenses. "When eyes are closed at night, oxygen concentrations of the eye decreases and the cornea swells up. The cells on the surface of the cornea creates gaps, which is an ideal situation for bugs to get between and cause a cornea infection."
Dr Anwar said he receives at least one patient a week with a corneal infection from contact lenses, in which they require strong antibiotic drops. "We may need to take samples from the cornea and also run tests on the lenses to see if there are any insects inside.
"If the patient is lucky, the contact lens infection might heal within three to four days, otherwise they might require corneal transplant, because of the infection due to the hole or the scar caused by the bug."
He said a 26-year-old patient he received had an aggressive bacteria on the surface on the eye due to contact lens neglect. "The patient eventually had to have the cornea perforated and needed an emergency transplant."
Victim-speak
Nisreen Mohammed, a 35-year-old, said forgetting to take off her contact lenses one night, was "the worst mistake," of her life.
"I woke up with something that was beyond just a swollen eye."
She said that she simply forgot to take off her lenses during her vacation in the Maldives back in 2012, which resulted in her trip cutting short.
"The pain and agony was so severe - no antibiotics or doctors could help - so I had to fly home because I was not only in pain, but I was worried that I might lose my sight. I could barely open my eyes."
Luckily, Nisreen's eye sight was saved, although her severe eye infection resulted in a cornea transplant. "If I knew the consequences of sleeping with contact lenses on for just one night, I would never think twice before taking them off."
Do's and don'ts
> Ensure contact lenses are purchased from a licensed optometrist
> Ask the specialist about how to safely use and take care of the lenses
> Never sleep with contact lenses
> Do not shower or swim with lenses
> Take care of the contact lens case
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