Why You Should Not Wear Contact Lenses Longer Than Recommended

Why You Should Not Wear Contact Lenses Longer Than Recommended

Millions of contact lens wearers are taught how to use and maintain their contact lenses without prescription as soon as they receive their first prescription. Wash your hands first, keep the lenses clean, remove them before sleeping – and most are vigilant about following them in the beginning. Then they start forgetting to clean their hands, or even remove their lenses when they sleep. Contact lenses are used every day, and just like anything that is present in our daily lives, we eventually take them for granted.

Contact lenses are considered medical devices, and just like other devices, there’s a proper way to use them. Not to mention that a lens is being put on the eye which is a very sensitive and important part of the body, I’m sure you agree.

The quality of contact lenses nowadays has allowed a lot of people with vision problems to safely and comfortably correct them without impairing their movement or restricting their activities. Contact lenses are so convenient to use, especially with the variety of disposal lenses that are now available.

However, in a recent poll, 52% percent of two-week lens wearers admitted to wearing their lenses for a longer period. 28% of one-month contact lens wearers do the same. The reasons vary: some are not aware that there is a replacement schedule, and some just extend to save money.

To ensure that you are reaping all the benefits and none of the negatives, we will discuss the repercussions of wearing a contact lens longer than the manufacturer said you should. This is pretty important, so please take note.

How Often Should You Change Your Contact Lenses

• Daily disposable lenses should be thrown away after you use them – like at the end of the day before you sleep. The recommended length of time is no longer than 12 hours. Daily lenses should not be worn while sleeping.
• Reusable contact lenses are usually discarded twice a month. Remove them before sleeping and replace them after 2 weeks.
• Monthly disposable lenses, whether they are for continuous use (while sleeping) or monthly disposables, should be disposed of after the prescribed days. Day 1 should be counted from the moment you open the pack.

Complications Caused By Extended Lens Use

The warning to replace lenses after a prescribed number of days are not there to make you spend more money, or as a joke. There’s a reason for the warning. The conditions below can easily be avoided as long as you resist the temptation of wearing your contact lenses past the recommended period – for whatever reason. Don’t wait until they become uncomfortable. By that time, you’d be having several problems.

• Dry Eyes – This can be caused when the lens is worn too long. The cornea will get numbed due to the loss of moisture and your eyes will become dry.
• Eye Infections ­­– Wearing lenses too long will cause a buildup of proteins, lipids and calcium which can be found in your tears. The build-up will make your eyes more prone to eye infections.
• Corneal Infection – This is the most serious complication that can result from using your lenses for a longer period than recommended. Often called, microbial keratitis, or infectious corneal ulcers, this occurs when the eye gets scratched or irritated and bacteria or other germs enter the infected cornea. This can become a serious problem leading to blindness within 24 hours if not treated immediately. Symptoms can include severe pain in the eye, mucus discharge, blurred vision and redness. It can easily be avoided by wearing a fresh and clean lens as recommended by your eye doctor.
  
  While contact lens related cases of corneal infection are rare, it is best not to be included in the statistics.

It is important to note that a Replacement Schedule is different from a Wearing Schedule.

Replacement Schedule indicates how often your lens should be replaced and discarded, whether you’re using dailies, monthlies or reusables.

Wearing Schedule refers to how long you can wear them before you need to remove it.

With these in mind, we trust that you will now follow the proper replacement schedule. Note that before wearing extended wear lenses, you should ask your doctor first. Not everyone can wear lenses in their sleep or continuously.

To ensure that you have ample supply and you don’t run out of stock, you can browse our catalogue and order contact lenses without prescription – as long as you already know what you need. Caring for your eyes and improving your vision has never been easier. We’re here to help you.