Contact lens wearers should be aware of symptoms of eye infection, including redness, watery eyes, blurred vision, discharge, and pain. Consult a doctor if symptoms occur. Some types of contact lenses, such as gas-permeable and disposable lenses, may reduce the risk of infection. Contact lenses can create an environment for bacteria and viruses to grow, and wearers are at a higher risk of developing conjunctivitis. Follow precautions and do not wear lenses while sleeping unless necessary.
Symptoms of contact eye infection include, but are not limited to, redness of the eyes; watery eyes; vision changes, such as blurred vision; eye discharge; and eye pain. People who wear contact lenses and experience any of the above signs and symptoms are strongly advised to see their doctor as soon as possible. Eye infections not only put a person’s vision at risk, but they can be highly contagious, spreading from person to person and from infected eye to uninfected eye. Consultation should first be with a general practitioner, sometimes referred to as an internal medicine doctor, or with your eye doctor.
There are various types of contact lenses and some types are considered superior to others when it comes to reducing the risks of eye infection from contacts. Gas-permeable contacts, for example, supposedly allow the eye to “breathe” to reduce the chances of developing problems. Disposable contact lenses are also generally considered safer because they don’t need to be cleaned, but symptoms of an eye infection can be experienced no matter what type of contact lenses a person wears.
It should be remembered that bacteria, viruses, fungi, and foreign bodies in the eye are often the things that cause eye infections in general. Contact lenses of any type can certainly be thought of as a “foreign body” which is not only an object in the eye but can also contribute to the creation of an environment conducive to the growth of bacteria and viruses. Although the signs and symptoms of contact lens eye infection can be experienced by people who don’t wear contact lenses, they are almost always caused by the lenses themselves in people who wear them.
Some of the same signs and symptoms of an eye infection can be seen with conjunctivitis, an inflammation of the conjunctiva. Infectious conjunctivitis is very contagious, and people who wear contact lenses are at a higher risk of developing the condition. “Pink eye” is the term most often used by healthcare professionals and laypeople to refer to conjunctivitis caused by bacteria or viruses. To avoid signs and symptoms of eye infection from contact lenses, it is recommended that the wearer strictly follow all precautions provided for the specific type of contact lens being used and should not be worn while sleeping unless strictly necessary.
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