What are the long term effects on your eyes of leaving contacts in 24/7?!


Question:

What are the long term effects on your eyes of leaving contacts in 24/7?


Answers:

Leaving contacts in for 24/7 is unhealthy for you eyes for a number of reasons:

When you have contacts in, the oxygen that your eyes need in order to stay healthy is cut-off, which causes vascularization of the corneas. Tiny blood vessels start to grow across the cornea in an attempt to deliver the oxygen that they are being deprived of. These blood vessels can and will obstruct your vision. This process can reverse itself in a few months but you really shouldn't wear contacts at all during that time frame.

Bacteria can also start to grow on the lenses if they aren't taken out and cleaned and disinfected every so often. Bacteria leads to nasty and hard to treat infections.

Your eye produces a protein that can build up on the lenses which causes the lenses to cloud up and this build-up also irritates your eyes.

You can also contract GPC (Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis) which causes red inflamed bumps to occur on the underside of the upper eye lid. This is thought to be caused by deposits on the lenses themselves. These bumps cause the contact lens to ride high on the eye, as if the upper lid were grabbing the lens with each blink. Treatment of GPC usually involves discontinuing contact lens wear in order to let the lids heal. This can sometimes mean several days, weeks or longer without usage of contacts. Depending on the severity of GPC, drops can be prescribed to provide relief from the itching and irritation. Its important to make sure to follow your doctor's orders so that it can heal properly, as it can become a chronic condition and can actually prevent the wearer from ever being able to use contacts again.

Even in the Ciba Nite & Day lenses (the ones you wear for 30 days before throwing them out), you should still take them out at least once a week and give them a good cleaning to prevent infection. And also, its a good idea to give your eyes a break from contacts every now and then and throw on your glasses...




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