Protect yourself from the danger of contact lenses - planet health

A product that "was extraordinarily democratized", sums up ophthalmologist Michel Matter speaking of contact lenses.However, their use is not trivial.What precautions should be taken on a daily basis?

Que faire?

The cardinal recommendation is as follows: "As soon as the eye is red, as soon as it is painful, as soon as the lens bothers, you must stop carrying it and do a check with its contactologist (a master-optial specialist in lentilscontact) or his ophthalmologist.»»

This is the main problem of people who wear contact lenses: they often consult too late.You must therefore be careful and not carry your lenses at all costs.Corollary: it is important to have a pair of glasses with up -to -date correction, even if we wear contact glasses daily.

Second watchword: follow the rules.

Quels sont les risques?

The most dreaded is the abscess of cornea: as a result of an infection, it creates a pocket filled with pus in the cornea.Such an affection can lead to the perforation of the eye and requires ophthalmological management that can go as far as hospitalization.It is estimated that half of the cornea abscesses occur in carriers of contact lenses.A correct maintenance of lenses helps to protect oneself against this possibility.

Another risk for lenses is conjunctivitis, inflammation of the conjunctiva, the fabric that covers the internal face of the eyelids and the white of the eye.This condition is linked to a greater drought of the eye due to the wearing of the lens, a eye more aware of the port (without it is an allergy) or the heat and pollution.Strict monitoring of basic hygiene rules, optimal maintenance and regular control in its contact lenses adapter are essential.

Conjunctivitis can evolve negatively until it becomes infectious and produce secretions and watches.In this case, we will stop wearing the contact glasses.Such a stop must be the golden rule.A treatment prescribed by the ophthalmologist can stop the infection.

In any case, after an infection or a conjunctivitis, we will change our lenses to put a new pair, but we will also change the case and the maintenance solution.If these are annual lenses, they can be sterilized by a professional.In the case of an infection finally, it may also be necessary to throw the rest of the maintenance product.

The last big risk that weighs the wearing of flexible contact lenses, regardless of the quality of the insured maintenance, is neovascularization, the growth of blood vessels in the cornea.A risk linked to poor adaptation or the purchase of any contact lenses on the Internet.The mechanism of neovascularization is as follows: the cornea is a particular fabric insofar as it does not precisely include vessels, which allows it to be transparent.However, wearing contact lenses decreases the amount of oxygen brought to it.To overcome this suffering, the cornea can call the body to help and organize the supply of oxygen by creating new vessels.Regular professional monitoring is therefore again essential.

There are countries where it is recommended not to wear your contact glasses at the swimming pool and not to shower with.In Switzerland, there is no need to take such precautions.It is however recommended to use, when possible, daily lenses for the pool.

In summary, contact lenses require scrupulous interview, compliance with the indications given by the specialist and an annual control at the latter.If these conditions are met, the risk that their port represents is significantly reduced.

Que corrige-t-on avec les lentilles?

Current visual defects are well corrected by contact glasses.Thus myopia (bad vision by far), hyperopia (difficulty seeing closely) or astigmatism (a deformation of the eye which dissociates the vertical and horizontal components of the vision).

From the age of 45, presbyopia (the eye accommodates more difficult in vision) is present.In the same way that there are progressive glasses, there are multifocal lenses.These have a different correction between their edge and their center.Indeed, when you look closely, the pupils shrink and the eyes converge.The vision therefore goes more through the center of the eye.One in two people get used to this type of correction.

Quelques bons conseils

• If you wake up after sleeping with your lentils on your eyes, it is better to moisten them with artificial tears or blink several times before removing them.It is then recommended not to wear your contact lenses for at least twenty-four hours.

• If you haven't given your lenses for a few days or a few weeks, you have to clean them again the day before before putting them back.Be attentive to the time necessary for the product to make a complete cleaning cycle: it can vary from a few tens of minutes to a few hours.

• Empty the case completely after putting its lenses and let it dry in the open air.

• Change the lentil case regularly.Ideally the opening of a new bottle of maintenance product should be accompanied by the replacement of the case.

• Do not wear lenses on the plane where air is extremely dry.

• Professional follow -up and advice ensure safety and comfort.