Want To Try Contact Lens? Here Are 6 Important Things You Should Know

September 23, 2021 9:41 AM

Contact lenses continue to be a popular form of beauty and cosmetic enhancement amongst women, however, it is also used medically for vision correction.

Lady fixing contact lens

Using contact lenses has a number of advantages which include convenience, improvement in vision, and the desired change in appearance.

However, here are some things to consider before trying out a contact lens whether for medical or cosmetic reasons. Here are six of them.

1. Do your research

A contact lens is a thin piece of plastic worn directly on the cornea. The cornea is the clear, front-most part of the eye that helps reflect light onto the retina.

It is used to fix vision problems like nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia) and astigmatisms, an irregularity of the corneas, which leads to blurry vision.

Contact lenses are usually prescribed by doctors and are the perfect correction solution for those who do not want to wear eyeglasses and/or have corrective surgery.

Therefore, it is important to first find out what your vision problems are before getting contact lenses to ensure you get the right type of contact.

2. Consult an eye doctor

Contact lenses are medical devices that need to be properly fitted by an eye care professional, even if you are just wearing them to change your eye color.

During your appointment, the optometrist will first take your medical history. Expect a general and comprehensive eye exam. This includes determining your prescription needs and other tests to assess your overall eye health and ensure it is okay for you to wear contacts.

Make sure you share as many details as possible about your eyes and vision. That way, the doctor will have an easier time giving you an accurate diagnosis. Also, this can help uncover any underlying eye health conditions you may have.

3. Avoid them if you have allergies or eye problems

Contact lenses may not be a good option for people who suffer from repeated eye infections or allergies, are exposed to large amounts of dust, or have dry eyes. Wearing contact lenses with such conditions could cause further complications and problems.

4. Cosmetic lenses require prescription too

Beauty contact lenses bought from boutiques, shops and non-professional retailers can pose serious eye health risks, even to the extent of losing sight in the worst cases. It is therefore important to only buy prescription contact lenses from authorized medical retailers.

5. Stick to your wear schedule

When your eye care provider prescribes you a new set of contact lenses, she will also give you a wear schedule that advises you on how long you should wear your contacts each day. There are different wear schedules for hard and soft contact lenses as well as daily, bi-weekly and monthly wear schedule guidelines that you need to stick to in order to avoid eye irritation and other problems.

Your wear schedule should also include information about when to use a daily cleanser, how and when to use an enzymatic cleaner, and proper care and storage instructions for ensuring that your new contact lenses stay in tip-top shape.

6. Take proper care of your lenses

Proper cleaning, care and storage of your contact lenses is extremely important for the prevention of infections.

Your eye doctor will show you how to clean and disinfect your contacts. Use quality lens care products and clean the lenses as often as possible to remove buildup of bacteria.

Your contact lens case also needs as much care as the lenses themselves. After putting in your contacts each morning, you should give the case a good scrub with hot water. Then, give it a final rinse with your contact lens solution.

In case of any sudden change in vision or severe discomfort or pain in the eye, stop wearing the lenses and contact a medical professional immediately.

Be aware that wearing contact lenses for a long period of time can be dangerous. Over-wearing may cause problems, such as blurry vision, pain, and redness due to a lack of oxygen passing through to the eye. Remember that contact lenses are medical devices that must be taken seriously.

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Anu Odubanjo holds a Masters degree in Public Administration with a Bachelors's degree in International Relations. She is an avid writer with topics in beauty, health, and lifestyle. Her articles have been featured in Opera News and Fabwoman. She is an advocate for women's empowerment and mental health.

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Pulse Contributors is an initiative to highlight diverse journalistic voices. Pulse Contributors do not represent the company Pulse and contribute on their own behalf.

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