The habit of wearing contact lenses even at night leads to serious corneal infections. This was recently reported by emergency doctors in the Annals of Emergency Care. Prolonged use of lenses increases the risk of developing parasitic and bacterial diseases of the cornea.
Why is it dangerous to wear contact lenses all the time?
A recent survey was conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 3 out of 10 adolescents and young people reported that they sometimes wear contact lenses at night.
An earlier case-control study has already shown that patient neglect increases the risk of infection by more than 5 times.
The 34-year-old man did not bother to remove soft contact lenses for 3-4 nights a week. He also wore them while swimming. The patient turned to the emergency room due to constant redness and blurred vision. Doctors have identified an amoeba in the cornea. Keratitis was first treated with polyhexamethylene biguanide and chlorhexidine every hour. Only after 6 months did visual acuity return to normal values.
The 17-year-old girl also did not feel the need to remove her contact lenses, which she bought without a prescription at the pharmacy at night. She developed a corneal ulcer in which Pseudomonasaeruginosa was discovered. When she came to the doctor, she could distinguish only light and dark with an affected eye. Despite treatment with tobramycin and vancomycin, scarring in the cornea could not be eliminated. Visual acuity decreased significantly.
A 57-year-old man who wore contact lenses for 2 weeks became almost blind, doctors found. Ophthalmologists found corneal infiltration and perforation in the right eye. The left eye showed central and 2 paracentral infiltrates. The right eye could only be saved by corneal transplantation. The left eye recovered with topical treatment with tobramycin and vancomycin. Visual acuity improved, but the scar remained.
Ophthalmologists suggest that these are not isolated cases. In Russia, 1 million people are treated annually for emergency keratitis caused by improper lens wear. The exact incidence of corneal diseases due to hygiene errors has not been established.
Are the effects of prolonged contact lens wear misdiagnosed?
Australian study revealed in 2008 that general practitioners misdiagnosed 64% of their patients. About 10% of these cases are associated with serious clinical events. Also in Germany family doctors examine 4 to 10 patients with visual problems every week.
Under certain conditions, these patients should be referred directly to an ophthalmologist. In the presence of a foreign body or other injury, emergency medical attention is required. At the first stage of the medical history, the doctor must distinguish between chronic and acute symptoms and examine both eyes.
The diagnosis also determines whether the patient is a contact lens wearer. Because they are prone to a special form of bacterial conjunctivitis. In such patients, parasitic diseases are often found. Since these pathogens are often resistant to conventional antibiotics, the doctor needs to identify the type of pathogen. Otherwise, microbial keratitis can lead to perforation of the cornea for several hours. Permanent loss of vision or even eyes cannot be ruled out.
Can I swim with contact lenses?
The German Ophthalmological Society (DOG) warns of the risk of corneal infections due to swimming with lenses. Many patients complain of reddened and watery eyes immediately after visiting the pool.
Sometimes the symptoms disappear after a few hours. Eye drops with tear fluid facilitate burning. If symptoms persist for more than 24 hours, patients should consult an ophthalmologist. It is important to rule out an infectious disease in time.
A patient with contact lenses must observe the wear interval suggested by the doctor. It is necessary to remove the lenses before going to bed, swimming or taking a shower. Otherwise, there is a high development of infectious eye diseases.
