Over 30 million people wear contact lenses without any major discomfort in US alone. There are occasional disturbances and minor infections, linked to contact lenses reported every year though. Fortunately, contact lenses have not been the direct source of spreading infections but the negligence of consumers. Contact lenses can be fearlessly worn every day for the duration prescribed by your eye care practitioner. Usually, contacts feel good in eyes for 6 hours which you can stretch to 2 more hours depending on the quality of your tear film.
How do I know if I am over wearing Contact Lenses?
Your eyes are tell a tale of how your contacts behave. Over wearing contact lenses cause “Neo vascularization” that leads to the temporary growth of blood capillaries in eyes. Circle contacts partially block oxygen & eyes fulfil their oxygen needs from environment. When oxygen is blocked for longer time than what eyes can bear, an over growth of blood capillaries is observed. These blood capillaries are grown by your eyes to draw the oxygen from the body. Some unpleasing incidents report bursting of these capillaries that may temporarily scar your cornea.
Symptoms of Over Wearing Contact Lenses
Remember, when in doubt take out. Eyes protest when their oxygen supply is compromised by over wearing circle contacts. The symptoms usually are
- Watery eyes
- Blurred/hazy vision
- Strain in eyes
- Inflammation in some cases
- Redness caused by overgrowth of blood capillaries
Contact lenses are good to wear every day but remember to remove them before you go to bed. Silicone hydrogel lenses are highly breathable so they are currently the most comfortable contacts. However, observe caution if you are an avid computer user. Digital screens double the strain and make wearing contact lenses an uncomfortable experience. Using rewetting drops aka artificial tears help alleviating the discomfort.
Always consult an eye doctor before making major changes in your lifestyle even if it is about wearing cosmetic contact lenses. Your doctor will thoroughly analyze your eyes and provide you a prescription, in case you need one. Otherwise, he will assess if your eyes depending on the quality of the tear film can tolerate contacts. Some people are not the good candidates of contacts whereas some are able to bear them without any problems. If you are a beginner try with daily disposable contact lenses for your ease.