subject: Sleeping In Contacts [print this page] I usually received inquiries from people who are asking me if they could shower, swim with their contacts, or if they can dip it with distilled water. I responded with a big NO, for the most obvious reasons. But for many stubborn people still used water, thinking that this will not harm them.
Bacteria, fungi and viruses in your contact lenses cannot be washed by water. The most awful truth is water may contain these elements or promote such biodiversity.
Wearing contact lenses are fashionable and smart. But they could be expensive. And you should be well aware of it. Never settle for a homemade saline solution, just to save some penny. Use the proper contact solution!
One can use multipurpose solution to disinfect, clean, and store contact lenses. Saline solution can be used to clean up your contact lenses or to prepare your eyes for insertion. While hydrogen peroxide can be used to disinfect your lenses but must be neutralize before insertion. Once a week contact lenses users should do an enzymatic cleaning to remove protein build up.
What happen if you have a bad habit of not cleaning your lenses? Or you used distilled or tap water to store your lenses.
Your contacts create a thin biofilm. Bio is rooted from the word life. Water sustains life but not all life forms are beneficial to people. It means that your contacts will culture more bacteria and fungi. Think of your contacts as playground for bacteria.
The most threatening life form is an amoeba called Acanthamoeba. This bacteria is present everywhere. It can be found in water whether tap, oceans, lakes, distilled and chlorinated. It is also found everywhere on your nasal passage (without causing harm to you), on air, and soil. It definitely loves dirty contact lenses!
Acanthamoeba keratitis is an eye disease caused by this amoeba. The most likely scenario when infected is you will need several corneal transplants to save your eye from permanent blindness. This amoeba is very invasive that it can make you lose your eyeball!
More than 90% of people afflicted with Acanthamoeba keratitis are contact lenses user. People who washed their contacts in water and who used homemade saline solution. Or people who refused to be responsible with their contacts.
So if you happen to be at a sleep over and you forgot to bring your saline solution, you better run to the nearest pharmacy or throw them away. Take out your lenses before taking a bath or swimming with it. You can purchase prescription goggles as an alternative. When washing your face in a public establishment, you can use wet facial towel to avoid water in your eyes.
Wearing contact lenses is not a matter of age but of maturity. A thirteen-year-old child, who can clean up he's room on a regular basis, is a good candidate for handling contacts. In comparison, to an adult who thinks he can get away dipping he's contacts in water and when he has too many excuses going to a pharmacy. Now you have the facts. You make the call!
