Risks of wearing contact lenses
As much as contact lenses are a boon for people with prescription glasses, they also carry risks if not worn properly or taken care of.
In the case of PMMA lenses, they are more likely to scratch the cornea of the eye if the lens is not a good fit. They may also tend to damage or dry the eye if worn while sleeping. The lenses also have a tendency to slide off the cornea and remain hidden under the lid.
Rigid lenses by virtue of being hard may pop out of the eye during the course of some rigorous activity. However, newer and innovative lens designs have reduced the chances of this occurring and of loosing a contact even during intense training and exercise.
Rigid gas-permeable lenses and soft extended-wear contacts are sometimes problematic because they tend to have a protein build-up causing allergies. Protein build-up results in discomfort, blurring and intolerance to the lenses. This irritation can be corrected through special cleaning solutions that dissolve the protein.
Daily-wear lenses should never be worn as extended-wear lenses. If mistreated or used wrongly, such a scenario can lead to temporary and even permanent damage to the cornea. People wearing any type of contact lens overnight have a greater chance of developing infections of the cornea. Infections are also often caused to poor cleaning and improper lens care. Extended wear or over-wear can result in intolerance to wearing contact lenses.
Rigid gas-permeable or disposable contact lenses may be good choices for someone with allergies.
With so many contact lenses in the market today, there is something to suit everyone. Most people who need vision correction can wear contact lenses; there are however, some exceptions. There are some atypical conditions that may prevent you from being a contact lens candidate. These are:
- Frequent eye infections
- Severe allergies
- Dry eyes causing tears in the film
- Working in dusty and dirty environments
- Inability to handle and care for the lenses properly