Contact lenses are tiny, translucent discs that are placed over the cornea of your eye (cornea). Contact lenses let you correct your eyesight exactly as glasses do. According to the National Eye Institute, 45 million Americans wear contacts. There are a few crucial safety measures to follow when using contacts, like never putting them near water. As a result, you are unable to use them while showering.
Contact lens wearers are more likely to experience keratitis, an inflammation of the cornea. Visual loss could happen if keratitis is not treated right away. Microorganisms can infect the cornea and cause an eye infection, a condition known as microbial keratitis. The microorganisms that can cause these illnesses are present in the tap water you use for showering and bathing.
If your contacts come into contact with water, they could bend or adhere to your eye. This could result in a scratch on your cornea (corneal abrasion). These scratches can infrequently lead to a non-infectious form of keratitis. However, they could also enable non-sterile water germs to infiltrate the cornea and result in an infection.
Which Kind of Microbes Cause Microbial Keratitis?
Numerous different types of bacteria can result in microbial keratitis. A type of parasite keratitis produced by Acanthamoeba is one that should be avoided in water. Many different kinds of water sources include Acanthamoeba amoebae. This includes, among other things, tap water, well water, and lake water.
The exceedingly severe illness known as acanthamoeba keratitis can cause vision loss or demand a corneal transplant. It could also be difficult to treat. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Trusted Source, treatment for this type of keratitis may last a year or longer.
Bacteria are another group of microbes that may result in microbial keratitis and may be present in various water sources. Numerous bacteria, including Pseudomonas,
Staphylococcus, and Streptococcus species, can result in bacterial keratitis.
Viruses: Herpes simplex virus (HSV), varicella-zoster virus (VZV), and adenovirus are some of the viruses that can cause keratitis.
Fungi: Aspergillus, Fusarium, and Candida species infections can result in fungal keratitis.
It makes sense, in theory, to wear your contact lenses during a shower. They'll make it easier for you to identify the products you're using, find your towel after you're through, and check to see if you're shaving properly. But in reality, just like swimming with contact lenses, having a shower is forbidden.
All of this comes down to the reality that water can increase your eyes' susceptibility to bacterial contamination, regardless of where it comes from. This bacteria raises the risk of unpleasant eye infections and eye irritations and can be found in tap water, swimming pools, the sea, hot tubs, showerheads, and sponges.
The longer they are in contact with your lenses, the greater the chance that they will trap bacteria in your eye because your lenses very quickly absorb water. One of these organisms' most deadly symptoms is Acanthamoeba keratitis, an uncommon but serious eye infection.
This infection may cause ocular discomfort or, in more severe situations, offer a risk for vision loss if untreated. Additionally incredibly permeable and quick to absorb moisture are soft contact lenses. The form of wet contact lenses will alter, making them uncomfortable to use and causing vision blur. In light of this, it is advised to avoid wearing contact lenses unless they are paired with watertight goggles.
Symptoms of Acanthamoeba Keratitis
In general, keratitis symptoms and indicators are similar regardless of the underlying cause. Some symptoms of keratitis include:
- Redness of the eyes
- Itchy eyes that feel gritty or as if something is in your eyes
- Eye pain that intensifies when you remove your contacts and doesn't go away
- Rippling light sensitivity
- Excessive discharge hazy vision
When Do You Need to Seek Medical Attention?
Even if you haven't submerged your contacts in water, you should get treatment as soon as you suspect you have keratitis.
You need to consult the doctor if you have the following keratitis symptoms:
- Throw away your contacts. After taking out your contacts with care, do not put them back in. Wear glasses if you need to get your eyesight corrected while you receive therapy.
- Call your doctor. Make an appointment with your doctor as soon as you can so they can identify the issue and begin treating you.
Bring your contacts, please. By examining the contacts you were wearing, your doctor can identify the problem that caused your illness.
- Procedure: Optimal procedure to adhere to when wearing contact lenses
- Important: It's important to follow advised contact lens-wearing procedures to avoid conditions including conjunctivitis, corneal abrasions, and keratitis.
Conserve Water
- Make sure you don't submerge your contacts in water. This includes taking out your contacts before bathing, swimming, or taking a shower.
- Keep your contacts out of the water and throw away or clean any contacts that have come into touch with them.
- Use clean hands. Before handling your contacts, always wash your hands because unsanitary hands can harbor bacteria.
- Follow the product's instructions. Any product instructions should always be carefully followed when cleaning or disinfecting your contacts.
- Contacts should be stored securely. Please only store your contacts in a contact lens solution. Utilize fresh solutions whenever storing contacts. Do not add more information to the case's existing solution.
- Wear your contacts for as long as is advised. Never use contacts for longer than is required.
- Don't wear contacts to bed. Contact lenses should not be worn to bed unless your doctor gives the all-clear.
- Modify the case. Try to replace your storage container every three months.
- Remove the contacts if needed. If you notice that your contacts are bothering your eyes or giving you discomfort, take them out and notify your doctor. Never wear contacts that don't appear to be in good shape.
- Hold onto your spectacles. Make sure you have a functioning set of glasses for when you aren't wearing your contacts.
Easiest Method to Avoid Showering when Wearing Contacts
Ninety-nine percent of Americans who use contacts take inadequate care of their lenses. This behavior increases the risk of eye infection. Showering while wearing contacts is one of these risky behaviors. How then do you stop this abhorrent behavior? The most straightforward answer is to switch to daily disposables and keep a pair of glasses on hand at all times.
Individual daily disposable contact lenses are provided. Taking a shower in the morning before putting on your contacts is not an issue. However, if you want to take a shower later in the day, like after working out or when you get home from the office, daily disposables are the most practical choice.
You can remove and throw away your lenses. It is not necessary to clean the lenses with a contact lens solution. Simply put in a new pair of lenses after taking a shower. Wear your spectacles throughout the remainder of the evening if you want to avoid using more than one set of lenses every day.
Since they don't need to be cleaned, daily disposable contact lenses are recommended by eye care professionals. As a result, there is a lower chance that you will develop an infection that could have been prevented with appropriate lens care.