There are many reasons to love your contact lenses: because they are worn directly on your eye, your entire field of vision is in focus, you don’t have frames or reflections affecting your vision or distracting you, and you can pick from and rock your favorite pair of sunglasses without worrying whether or not they come in prescription form.
But because these lenses come in contact with our eyes and can trap foreign objects, bacteria, and other contaminants against the eye, they put us at risk for some fairly dangerous eye conditions, especially when we aren’t following proper safety and handling instructions for using our lenses.
Each year, millions of Americans commit the cardinal sins of contact lens wearing -- wearing lenses for too long, improper cleaning and storage, or using homemade solutions that were prepared improperly.
Scary stuff when you consider the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that there are nearly one million eye infections annually.
These eye infections are called “keratitis” -- or an infection of the cornea, which is the clear dome covering the iris, or colored part of the eye. These infections are painful and uncomfortable, but in some cases, they can lead to blindness. Among these serious eye infections that result from improper contact lens use:
Acanthamoeba Keratitis
This eye infection is caused by amoebas, or one-celled creatures, that are commonly found in water sources, including tap and well water, hot tubs, soil, and sewage systems. These amoebas can come in contact with our lenses in many ways, but primarily as a result of bad hygiene or improper contact lens care. Infections can also be caused by these amoeba through activities, including swimming or relaxing in hot tubs while wearing lenses, showering with contact lenses, or using homemade contact lens solutions to store or clean your contacts, according to the website AllAboutVision.com.