Do you practice proper hygiene when putting and removing you contact lenses? We sure hope so.
Research
A recent research from the NYU Langone Medical Center has found that individuals who wear contact lenses have various types of bacteria in their eyes, compared to non-users.
The researchers studied the eyes of 20 people, 9 were contact lens users and 11 non-contacts users. They discovered that those who used contact lenses have a higher number of Acinetobacter, Lactobacillus, Pseudomonas and Methylobacterium. Pseudonomas are the bacteria mostly linked to eye ulcers.
“There was an increase in the prevalence of corneal ulcers following the introduction of soft contact lenses in the 1970s” as per co-author Jack Dodick, MD. “Because the offending organisms seem to emanate from the skin, greater attention should be directed to eyelid and hand hygiene.”
Conclusion
To reduce the risk of developing eye infections, it is always recommended to wash your hands before touching your eyes. Also rinsing your lenses before putting them on and storing them is recommended.
One thing to consider is to switch to daily disposable lenses to control the amount of bacteria that may get into your eye. Lastly, do not forget to give your eyes a rest and switch to using eyeglasses as much as possible.