Surely many contact lens wearers are wondering if it is safe for them to wear contact lenses during the current Covid-19 pandemic.
There are an estimated 140 million contact lens wearers worldwide. Contact lenses are not only used to replace the wearing of glasses, but also used for therapeutic and cosmetic treatments.
Therefore, it is not surprising if the use of contact lenses has become a ‘trend’ at this time. However, it is important for contact lens wearers to know the best measures of contact lens care especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Although there are no scientific studies that show that wearing contact lenses increases the risk of infection with Covid-19 compared to non-wearers of contact lenses, preventive and safety measures are very important and should be emphasised to ensure the wearer is safe and free from Covid-19.
The practice of a high level of personal hygiene is one of the keys to preventing the spread of the epidemic in addition to preventing the risk of complications of wearing contact lenses such as corneal ulcers ‘microbial keratitis’ and corneal purulent ‘cornea infiltrates’.
A survey of questionnaires in the United States and Ireland found that 96% of respondents used soap and water to wash their hands before wearing and removing contact lenses. As many as 56% of respondents wore less contact lenses during the Covid-19 pandemic because most of them lacked the need to be outside the home and most worked from home.
However, there are studies that show that 11% of 262 contact lens wearers do not adhere to the mode of wearing and disposal of contact lenses, while 18% still continue to wear contact lenses despite being unhealthy and with symptoms such as fever and flu. Weekly or monthly waste type contact lens wearers show less adherence to care and contact lens wearing modalities compared to daily waste type contact lens wearers.
Tips and good habits for wearing and using contact lenses in the right way should be emphasized by the wearer as recommended by The American Optometric Association, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and various research institutions in the world.
Stop wearing contact lenses if you are sick and have symptoms such as fever, cold and cough.
Avoid touching the face, eyes, nose and mouth. This can increase the risk of Covid-19 infection especially if hands are dirty and continue to use contact lenses without washing hands.
Practising a high level of personal hygiene reduces the risk of complications of Covid-19 infection such as frequent hand washing before wearing and removing contact lenses. Contact lenses need to be washed using the correct technique if it is a weekly or monthly type of waste.
Wearers of weekly or monthly waste type contact lenses must adhere to their wearing modality. Do not wear contact lenses beyond the prescribed time.
The use of appropriate contact lens cleaning fluid according to the type of contact lens should be practised in the contact lens care routine to prevent the contact lens from getting dirty and not washed properly.
Avoid washing it with tap water or swimming with contact lenses as it increases the risk of bacterial infections such as Pseudomonas Aeuroginosa and Acanthamoeba Sp. which can cause corneal ulcers in turn resulting in blindness.
Discard old contact lens storage containers each time you get a new container, or wash contact lens containers as dirty containers can make contact lens wearers prone to infections.
Avoid buying contact lenses from night markets, grocery stores or online without getting a prescription and consultation from a certified Optometrist.
Wearing contact lenses during the Covid-19 pandemic is safe as long as the wearer knows the guidelines and correct steps in its use. Every contact lens wearer needs to consult and perform an eye examination with a certified Optometrist to determine the level of eye health with the use of contact lenses.
Therefore, contact lens wearers should undergo follow -up treatment after being prescribed contact lenses.
In simple words, a contact lens can be likened to a sponge, which absorbs and permeates whatever is around it. If the environment is dirty then the rate of infection and complications due to the use of contact lenses on the eyes is very high.
Take care of yourself and love the eyes because it is God’s gift that should be taken care of best because without good vision one’s world will be dark.
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