It is important to clean your lenses properly. Dirty lenses can even cause a corneal infection.
The cause
A large proportion of contact lens wearers wear soft contact lenses. Soft lenses in particular are a breeding ground for bacteria. Rubbing your eye or a grain of sand can cause small wounds in your cornea. These are often repaired within a day, but a soft lens closes your eye, allowing bacteria to develop. A corneal infection can even lead to permanent blurred vision. Cleaning your lenses well is therefore very important.
How to clean your soft lenses
More and more people are ordering their lenses online and are not getting clear advice about cleaning their lenses.
– The cleaning method can differ per lens and contact lens solution, ask for advice before using it for the first time.
– Always use lens solution to clean your lenses. Never use tap water.
– Boil the container of your lenses regularly and replace it when necessary.
How long can you actually wear lenses in a row?
The numbers
In the VUmc, more and more people are reporting a corneal infection. In recent years, about 80 people a year came in with a corneal infection, but recently there were five patients within two weeks. Last year, 500 patients presented themselves with a corneal infection at the eye hospital in Rotterdam.
