Contact lenses are comfortable and convenient. But they require special care. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), every year nearly 1 million Americans experience keratitis, inflammation of the cornea (the clear covering over the pupil and iris).
Contact lenses are prone to infection from microorganisms. So if you forget to take them out, if you don’t change the solution in your storage case or if you allow your lenses to come into contact with tap water, you could be in for a painful eye infection that can lead to blindness.
To prevent keratitis, the CDC recommends:
• Scrubbing your hands with soap and water, then drying them before touching your lenses
• Removing your lenses before showering, swimming, sleeping or soaking in a hot tub
• Rubbing and rinsing your lenses with disinfecting solution every time you remove them
• Rubbing and rinsing the storage case with solution, drying them with a clean tissue and storing them upside down with the caps off
• Replacing storage cases every 3 months or sooner
Source: cdc.gov