Risks of Wearing Contact Lenses
Chicago, Illinois Ophthalmologist
Despite their popularity and wide use, contact lenses come with several risks that patients should be aware of – especially those who rely on contact lenses for a significant portion of their daily life. Although many of these risks can be reduced through careful management of contacts and correct wear, it is often difficult to determine the severity of a problem without the help of an eye doctor.
Symptoms of Eye Infection or Irritation
According to the FDA, contact lenses have the potential to cause irritation or infection in the eyes. These conditions can develop quickly, and in some rare cases, can even lead to blindness.
Some of the symptoms of eye irritation or infection include:
- Excess tearing or discharge
- Burning, itching, or “gritty” feeling in the eye
- Blurred vision
- Pain
- Swelling
- Abnormal sensitivity to light
If you experience any of these symptoms, remove your contact lenses immediately and contact your ophthalmologist. Be sure not to throw away your contact lenses; your eye doctor may want to use them to determine what caused your symptoms.
Other Hazards of Contact Lenses
The symptoms described above can sometimes indicate the presence of a more serious eye condition. Besides infection, some of the potential hazards of wearing contacts include:
- Corneal ulcers – Open sores on the outer layer of your cornea, usually caused by infection.
- Pink eye (conjunctivitis) – A common eye disease that can be caused by a bacterial or viral infection.
- Corneal abrasions – A scratch on the cornea of your eye.
- Blindness – Although rare, this can be the eventual result of an untreated infection or ulcer.
- Corneal thinning – When a contact lens is covering the eye all day, your cornea is less able to maintain its normal production of new cells. Because of this, some corneas will decrease in thickness by 10%.
Careful use of contact lenses that is consistently monitored by an ophthalmologist can help avoid these issues, but many patients want to be free of their dependence on contact lenses and glasses for good. This can be achieved through LASIK eye surgery and other types of Laser Vision Correction.
If you would like to learn more about how LASIK can preserve the health of your eyes and help you achieve Visual Freedom, please contact our experienced Chicago eye doctors today to schedule a personal consultation.
Doctors For Visual Freedom has two offices in Illinois: one in downtown Chicago, and one in Arlington Heights.
Two Locations:
Doctors for Visual Freedom Laser Center
875 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 1550
Chicago, IL 60611 | Doctors for Visual Freedom Laser Center
2010 S Arlington Heights Rd, Suite 121
Arlington Heights, IL 60005 |
