According
to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
there are more than 41 million contact lens wearer above 18 years of age and
the majority engage in behaviors that put them at risk for serious eye
infections. Further, there are more than 3.5 million adolescents 12-17 years of
age of which 85% admit to at least one behavior that exposes them to increased
risk of a contact lens related eye infection. The clearly risky behaviors
include sleeping in lenses, exposing lenses to water, not adhering to
replacement schedules, and reusing disinfecting solution. Contact lens
related eye infections, which can lead to serious outcomes, including
blindness, are preventable with good hygiene and wearing habits such as
replacing the storage case regularly, not sleeping or even napping in lenses,
not swimming in lenses and especially not exposing them to lake or pond water
and preferably not even tap water.
If
you or someone you know is a contact lens wearer please make sure they use the
necessary behaviors and care of their lenses to prevent risking an eye
infection. To learn more call us at
Baltimore Washington Eye Center
at 800-495-3937, or visit Baltimore Washington
Eye Center, Google+ or
facebook.com/baltimorewashingtoneyecenter.
Baltimore Washington Eye Center is a leading eye care practice with office locations at 200 Hospital Drive, Suite 600, Glen Burnie, Maryland 21061, and 2391 Brandermill Blvd., Suite 200, Gambrills, Maryland 21061 serving the greater Baltimore and Washington, D.C. area.