Is it harmful to wear lenses and which lenses are the safest and most comfortable

Are contact lenses harmful? This is a frequently asked question and the answer to it largely depends on the patient himself. For many years lenses have been and remain a popular, safe and effective means of vision correction.

The risk of eye injury associated with wearing them is minimal. But this is provided that you follow the recommendations of your doctor. Only a specialist can choose the appropriate type of lenses and give advice on the necessary care.

However, all lenses reduce the amount of oxygen reaching the cornea of the eye and thereby increase the risk of some vision problems. In addition, wearing them can damage your eyes if you wear them longer than recommended by the manufacturer, if you don't disinfect them, or if you don't replace them as directed by your optometrist.

Potential contact lens complications such as microbial and acanthamoeba keratitis can lead to vision loss.

Today, lenses can be used to correct various vision problems, including nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism and presbyopia (age-related farsightedness)

How to avoid negative consequences when wearing lenses

The best way to avoid lens problems is to follow your doctor's advice on how long you can wear them and how often you need to change them.

The specialist will select the lenses that are right for you according to the material of manufacture (hard or soft), according to the mode of wearing (one-day, frequent scheduled replacement, traditional wearing). It will also determine the possibility of using continuous wear lenses (which can be worn for up to 30 days without removing).

Also, make sure you follow all lens care procedures properly and only use solutions recommended by your optometrist.

If there is a possibility that you will not be able to perform daily cleaning and disinfection procedures, disposable contact lenses may be suitable for you. They do not require maintenance, they are thrown away after wearing for one day, respectively, solutions for cleaning and disinfection are not used for them.

The benefits of contact lenses

The use of lenses can be comfortable, safe and effective if the wearing regimen and recommendations of the doctor are followed.

In addition to aesthetic appeal, they have a number of practical advantages over glasses:

do not distort objects; do not limit peripheral vision; do not sweat; do not interfere with the patient to play sports; wearing them does not cause psychological problems that can occur when using glasses, especially for teenagers.

How to understand that the lenses are harmful to vision

To avoid serious eye problems associated with the use of contact lenses, every morning, before putting on lenses, ask yourself the question: “Do my eyes look good, see well and feel good?”.

If your eyes are red, it could be a symptom of dry eye syndrome or an eye infection caused by contact lenses. Blurred vision may be due to deposits on the lenses or corneal edema caused by a lack of oxygen. Discomfort in the eyes when wearing lenses can be caused by an incipient corneal ulcer, dry eye syndrome, or an eye infection.

If you experience any of the above symptoms, remove your lenses and contact your doctor immediately. The sooner eye problems are identified and treated, the better.

Even if you don't have these symptoms, it's important to see your eye doctor for an annual eye exam to help identify potential problems before you notice them. This will enable you to wear contact lenses safely and comfortably for many years to come.

More than a dozen years have passed since the lenses entered the life of the "bespectacled", but they have not been able to completely replace the glasses. It seemed to be such a convenient thing - wear it and rejoice: it is not noticeable to others, sports are not limited. What else does?

However, some people are even afraid to wear them, fearing for the health of their eyes. What is it connected with? In order to understand whether it is harmful to wear lenses, we first consider their types.

Types of contact lenses

In general, contact lenses (CL) are usually divided into two more categories: soft (SL) - they are hydrogel and silicone hydrogel, and hard (LCD). They are mainly made of polymers and are used to correct vision in more difficult situations. For example, with high astigmatism, keratoconus, in orthokeratology. Since they provide a high degree of oxygen penetration to the cornea, they are also called gas permeable.

They differ in CL and in the mode of wearing. They are daytime, when they are put on in the morning and removed in the evening; prolonged - can be worn without removing even at night, for a whole week; flexible - worn without removal for 1-2 days. There is also for continuous wear - they can be worn for a month, also without taking off at night. But before buying and using them, it is better to consult a doctor: are such lenses harmful to the eyes?

Also, CL, depending on the purpose, are:

spherical - used to correct nearsightedness and farsightedness; toric - for the correction of astigmatic farsightedness or myopia; multifocal - for the correction of senile farsightedness (presbyopia); aspherical - to improve the quality of vision.

The main properties of CL are determined by the material from which they are made. The main ones are water content (<50%, 50%, >50%) and oxygen permeability. The higher these figures, the less harm to the eyes.

There are also carnival and colored KL. In no case can they be used for a long time - they are much denser and harder in structure, which is not very convenient for the eye and does not provide a full supply of oxygen. They also contain a dye that can be harmful to the eyes.

Risks when wearing contact lenses

Of course, CLs have certain advantages over glasses - this is a wider side view, and convenience when playing sports, and eye protection from dust.

And, in general, in them you can forget about poor eyesight. However, they can also be harmful, and they have disadvantages:

Discomfort. Increased risk of inflammation. Possible development of dry eye syndrome. Allergic reactions. Insufficient supply of oxygen to the tissues of the eye. Corneal damage.

At the same time, it is worth knowing that it is not so much the CLs themselves that cause harm, but the violation of the rules for their use. Common mistakes: wearing longer than the specified period, leaving them overnight, using the same solution for many days (it must be changed every day). Also, individual intolerance to the solution can become a source of trouble.

The risks increase if you wear incorrectly selected contact lenses or if you do not follow the rules for wearing them. The expiration date also matters - expired CL should be thrown away without regret, as they become harmful and dangerous.

Rules for wearing and storing contact lenses

In order to reduce harm to the eyes, CL must be worn according to the following rules:

They must be purchased strictly by prescription, and it is necessary to be examined annually to confirm or change diopters. It is desirable to start wearing gradually: first 1.5-2 hours a day, so that the eyes get used to it. Then every day add an hour. Additionally, it is recommended to use moisturizing eye drops. The lenses do not show when their expiration date expires, so you need to keep a close eye on the dates. If weekly CLs were bought, then they need to be worn for a week. Menstruation - a month, disposable - once, after which they need to be thrown away. You should also throw out the fallen lens without regret, you should not rinse it - this can harm your eyes. It is undesirable to walk in lenses for more than 8 hours in a row. Let them get some rest from the eyes. Despite the possibility of not removing the CL at night, it is still not recommended to sleep in them. It is necessary to put on and take off the CL only with clean hands. Women should put them on before applying make-up and take them off before cleansing their face. CL must be washed daily, their solution changed, stored in special containers. Glasses should always be in stock.

It is not recommended to buy CL for children under 10 years old, as they have problems with personal hygiene. Yes, and at this age, children are very mobile, which increases the risk of harming themselves, not wanting it (unsuccessfully fell, bumped, jumped).

Contraindications to wearing contact lenses

Sometimes even the highest quality CLs, with strict observance of the rules for safe use, can be harmful and present an unpleasant surprise to the eyes. This is because there are restrictions that prevent them from being worn for a certain period or always:

chronic allergy. Reduced or increased sensitivity of the cornea. Acute inflammation of the anterior chamber of the eye. Infectious inflammation of the eyes. Ptosis. Keratitis, blepharitis, conjunctivitis. Violation of the activity of the lacrimal glands. Obstruction of the lacrimal ducts, dacryocystitis. Xerophthalmia, uncompensated glaucoma. Asthma and other respiratory diseases.

Also, wearing lenses is prohibited for acute respiratory infections, acute respiratory viral infections, tuberculosis and AIDS. This is due to the deterioration of the outflow of tears and a general decrease in immunity, which can lead to damage to the CL and, therefore, harm the eyes. It is also not recommended to wear them when using certain medications, as this can cause dry eyes and temporary blurred vision. These drugs include antihistamines, diuretics, motion sickness and runny nose remedies.

Myths and truth about contact lenses (video):

In order for CL to be only beneficial, and not harmful, one must not believe in prejudices, but use them after consulting a doctor and strictly follow the rules for safe use. In principle, they are not so difficult.

And what do you think? Write your opinion in the comments! If you have some helpful tips, please share! They can help novice CL users!

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The beauty of the eyes is not the last place in assessing the appearance of a woman. Enchanting, magical, bewitching - these are just some of the epithets that men reward the look of their beloved.

I would like the eyes to always be beautiful and expressive, but poor eyesight makes its own adjustments to the image of the fairer sex. Glasses, no matter how carefully chosen they are, distract attention from the eyes and change, often not for the better, the appearance of a woman.

Contact lenses, which have taken the world by storm in the past few years, are seen by many as the perfect solution to poor vision. After all, thanks to their use, vision becomes normal, and the eyes retain their inherent charm.

The use of lenses has acquired a huge number of myths and conjectures. Some of them correspond to reality, others are frankly far-fetched. Let's try to understand the variety of rumors and gossip surrounding this optical device and find out if contact lenses are really harmful to the eyes?

Myths and reality about the dangers of lenses

Statement one

"Lenses are no different from glasses"

This could only be said by a person who had never heard the insulting word bespectacled uttered after him, had not broken his glasses when falling or in a children's fight, and had not sobbed sobbing after an unsuccessful date, blaming the annoying glasses for his own unattractiveness.

Lenses are devoid of all these shortcomings. With their help, you can not only show the beauty of the eyes, but also give the look more expressiveness, using the color counterparts of this corrective tool. In addition, lenses, unlike glasses, have a more complete field of view and high accuracy of the peripheral display of the image. Yes, and UV protection in lenses, as a rule, is much more powerful.

Statement two

"Lenses can be easily fitted by yourself"

It is after such independent selections that myths about the harmfulness of this accessory are born. The selection of lenses is a full-fledged medical consultation, which requires a special profile education from a medical worker.

You should not take bread from qualified ophthalmologists - only a specialist can correctly assess your vision and select corrective agents, taking into account individual nuances.

Third statement

"Learning how to use lenses is extremely difficult"

In fact, the procedure for installing and removing these inconspicuous films is so simple that even a child learns it the first time. The convenient anatomical shape of the lenses and the soft comfortable material from which they are made allow, after a couple of workouts carried out in the presence of the attending physician, to easily perform all possible manipulations.

Fourth statement

"If you wear the lenses carefully, you can use them even after the warranty period has expired"

This should absolutely not be done. Exposure to external carcinogens, mechanical damage and changes in the structure of the material leads to the fact that lenses, instead of improving vision, cause irritation of the mucous membrane of the eye, interfere with the moistening of the eyeball and become a breeding ground for pathogenic microorganisms.

Fifth statement

"With regular wear of lenses, vision deteriorates catastrophically"

A decrease in visual acuity occurs throughout a person's life, regardless of attempts at correction. The eyes, accustomed to a clear, sharp image, refuse to perceive the muddy picture of the world that we see with the naked eye. This creates the illusion of catastrophic visual impairment. However, regular visits to the ophthalmologist twice a year will allow you to make sure that such experiences are groundless, and at the same time to choose the right lenses.

Sixth statement

"Personal hygiene when putting on lenses and caring for them are of little importance"

Not just a false, but also a very harmful statement. To begin with, it never hurts to wash your hands with soap once again, but it is simply necessary to do this before installing or removing lenses. It is necessary to store them in a perfectly clean container, filled with fresh solution. Only if all these rules are observed, it is possible to guarantee the safety and cleanliness of the lenses.

Statement seven

"The airtightness of lenses can cause the cornea of the eye to become cloudy and inflamed due to lack of oxygen."

Perhaps, even 5-6 years ago, such a statement was justified, however, a modern silicone hydrogel product has a high oxygen transmission coefficient and does not injure the eyeball in any way.

Eighth statement

"Smoking does not affect the wearing and safety of lenses"

Unfortunately, it is not. Constant exposure to tobacco smoke and carcinogenic impurities emitted by a cigarette leads to severe contamination of the surface of the corrective agent. Prolonged exposure to a dusty or unventilated area can lead to a similar effect.

Color contact lenses

Separately, it should be said about colored lenses that change the color of the iris and have become very widespread in recent years.

Unlike their transparent counterparts, which are used only for vision correction, colored lenses can be used purely for cosmetic purposes. However, you should not get involved in wearing such a tool. First of all, because the dye that is part of them can adversely affect the metabolic processes inside the eye and cause irreversible changes in the cornea. It is advisable to wear such lenses only from time to time - for a party or for a photo shoot.

Proper selection of lenses, hygiene and storage rules will allow you to fearlessly use these little helpers in the fight against myopia.

Poor vision causes inconvenience in everyday life. There are several solutions to this problem - glasses, lenses or surgery. Everyone can choose for themselves an acceptable way. Many people consider only wearing glasses to be an absolutely safe method of vision correction. Lenses cause mistrust and fear. In the article we will tell you whether the lenses are harmful. In some cases, wearing lenses can actually be harmful to health. The article will be useful to anyone who has poor eyesight and wants to give up glasses in favor of lenses.

It is easy to get rid of it, thanks to complex treatment. The doctor in this case will prescribe a special gel (for example, Korneregel) and drops. The choice of moisturizing drops is large, you can choose the option that suits the price and action.

It is worth noting that not all lenses cause dryness. In any case, these sensations cannot be called painful.

Lenses are more comfortable than glasses

This is noted by many users who have switched from glasses to lenses. Most importantly, psychological discomfort disappears. A person feels more confident, even forgets about his poor eyesight.

Practical convenience and benefits of lenses:

the ability to see well both near and far (glasses may have a fuzzy picture);
the ability to wear lenses with different diopters (if the vision in one and the other eye is very different);
Lenses protect your eyes from UV rays.

Contact lenses are not as expensive as they seem.

The most common belief against lenses is the high cost. Quality lenses are expensive. But you need to take into account the time of wearing them. The most expensive are daily. But with them you can be completely sure that no infection will enter the eye.

Observing all the rules of care, you can safely buy lenses for a monthly replacement or for six months. They cost less. The price also depends on the manufacturer.

How to avoid unpleasant consequences

To fully protect your eyes, you need to take additional precautions. With the right attitude to health, the question of whether lenses are harmful to the eyes will cease to worry.

At the slightest discomfort, you should immediately remove the lenses.
This method of vision correction may not be well combined with the use of contraceptives.
Any drops should be selected after consulting a doctor.
Regularly check the condition of the eyes (at least once a year).
Tell your doctor about any health problems you have in the past or present.
Avoid exposure to eyes in lenses of steam or smoke.

Contact lenses are a completely safe way to correct vision. Of course, you need to remember many nuances, carefully monitor the condition of the eyes. Then the lenses will not cause any inconvenience and will not harm your health.

Lenses are not able to completely replace glasses. Experts recommend wearing contact lenses and glasses alternately. You can wear glasses at home, and wear lenses to the gym for sports.

The most important point in wearing and and lenses is the correct selection of them. Therefore, before buying, it is imperative to undergo an eye examination for a better selection of the most suitable contact lenses. Since improperly selected lenses, as well as glasses, can greatly harm the health of the organs of vision.

During sleep, experts recommend to avoid the development of eye diseases. In the event that contact lenses are intended for long-term wear during the day and, ophthalmologists recommend resting your eyes and removing lenses at night once a week.

Experts strongly discourage drivers from wearing contact lenses because they worsen lateral vision. In addition, during blinking, a short-term fogging of the visible is possible, which can adversely affect the reaction in the event of an extreme traffic situation.

From the foregoing, we can conclude that with proper care and systematic replacement, contact lenses do not. But it is necessary to periodically visit an ophthalmologist so that he checks his vision and, if necessary, corrects the parameters of the lenses.

Consequences of not taking proper care of lenses

When buying lenses, a specialist must necessarily instruct the buyer about proper care and possible negative consequences if it is not followed.

It is mandatory to use only the solution recommended for this type of lenses for their storage and storage. Also, during the initial wearing, it is necessary to be sensitive to every manifestation of any discomfort and report this to the ophthalmologist. It is possible that the person cannot tolerate any type of lens or lens solution.

Extended wear contact lenses are periodically recommended to be replaced with regular lenses. This must be done to prevent the occurrence of infectious diseases that may arise due to a constant decrease in oxygen access to.

Contact lenses must be replaced strictly within the specified period, you should not save on your health, as they can be very sad.

We are surrounded by many people with poor eyesight, and many of them put up with this, refusing the help of modern medicine. With the development of ophthalmology, many ways to improve vision have appeared, including wearing contact lenses that are both convenient and invisible to others, and most importantly, they are invisible even to the wearer. However, there is a common fear among patients about wearing lenses, and in this article we will try to dispel it and talk about whether lenses are harmful.

First of all, it is worth noting that lenses, like glasses, can harm your vision if:

They are incorrectly selected or you purchased them without a doctor's prescription.
You use them incorrectly and violate the terms and rules of operation.

Is it harmful to wear lenses?

Lenses are undeniably much more beneficial to wear than glasses, if we talk about people who have complexes about glasses. But this is not their only plus. When you wear glasses, you only see well in front of you, in the center of the glass, while your peripheral vision is as bad as without glasses. When using lenses, this is not the case, in lenses you generally forget that you see poorly. Lenses also save people with poor eyesight when playing sports.

However, wearing lenses comes with some risks:

The risk of inflammatory diseases increases.
Allergic reactions are possible.
Lack of oxygen for the eyes.

It is worth repeating that all these risks are minimized if you have chosen lenses from a good doctor and use them correctly.

Rules for wearing contact lenses

When answering the question of whether lenses are harmful to the eyes, you must understand that, like any other medical device, lenses require proper use:

Be sure to buy lenses on prescription, an examination by a doctor should be done annually.
Observe the period of wearing lenses, in no case exceed it, since the lenses do not show whether they have passed their expiration date or not, just follow the dates. Wear weekly lenses for a week, monthly lenses for a month, and so on. Disposable lenses are worn once, if the lenses are removed, then immediately throw them away. If the lens falls out, do not rinse it, but also throw it away.
When buying lenses for the first time, let your eyes get used to them, starting with 1.5-2 hours of wearing, increasing the wearing time by 1 hour every day.
It is better not to wear lenses for more than 7-8 hours in a row.
Do not sleep in lenses, although there are lenses that you can occasionally sleep in, but this is not recommended.
It is better to wear glasses when working at a computer.
Put on and take off lenses with clean and dry hands.
Put on lenses before applying makeup, remove before removing makeup.
Keep lenses clean every day, wash only with special solutions, store only in special containers.
Do not wear lenses if you have a cold or are sick.

In addition to the usual lenses for vision correction, there are all kinds of colored and carnival lenses that change your appearance. Carnival lenses are much denser than usual ones, so the eyes are less comfortable in them, they pass oxygen much worse, and it is harmful to wear them for a long time. Is it bad to wear colored lenses? If we compare them with ordinary lenses, then they, of course, are inferior to them, but if you choose between color and carnival lenses, then in color the quality of vision and eye comfort are better.

Now you know whether contact lenses are harmful, and you can decide for yourself whether it is worth switching to them or not. At the same time, you must remember that you cannot completely refuse glasses, since you need to give your eyes a rest from the lenses.