Are Contact Lenses Damaging Your Eyes?

For how long do you wear contact lenses in your eyes? The answer to this question is a very important one. This is because, the excessive use of contact lenses can cause irreversible damage to your eyes. It is fashionable among the youth to wear contact lenses. Some people wear tinted lenses even when they do not have any defect in their vision.

Sometimes people extend the time of contact lens use to 10 or even 12 hours. This kind of misuse can make the contact lenses a threat to your eyes. Here are some of the major damages caused by excessive use of contact lenses.

Contact Lenses

Red Burning Eyes: This is a very preliminary symptom of many serious eye infections. When you wear contact lenses, your eyes are starved of oxygen. As a result, the eyes cannot breathe. The result is itching and dryness in the eyes. Slowly, yours eyes turn red and start watering making it difficult to see clearly. If this happens, you must remove your contact lenses immediately.

Contact Lens Allergy: If you ignore the first symptom, you may develop a permanent allergy to contact lenses. When your eyes suffer from oxygen starvation or infection, they develop a resistance to contact lenses which is foreign body. This may mean that you can never use contact lenses again.

Corneal Opacity: This is probably the most serious corneal damage that can be caused to your eyes. Corneal opacity is like a scar. After repeated infections and trauma, some spots or scars start developing on your cornea. These corneal opacities are permanent. If you do not check them very soon, they may even blur your vision forever. If you have developed these opacities, it is advisable to stop wearing contact lenses in your eyes for at least a year. And if you want to play it safe, never wear contact lenses again.

Change In Shape Of Eyeball: The contact lens sticks to your eyes like a second skin. In fact, it takes the shape of your eyeballs. But the contact lens itself loses shape after a few times of wearing. As a result it starts affecting the shape of your eyeballs. If you wear contact lenses for a very long period of time, it can permanently disfigure your eyeballs.

To ensure that your eyes are not damaged by the use of contact lenses, never wear them for more than 8 hours.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Story first published: Tuesday, January 1, 2013, 13:19 [IST]
Read more about: eye care wellness