Sleep Using Contact Lens Increases Risk Of Eye Infection Up To 8 Folds

JAKARTA - Some contact lens users may have made habits such as going straight to sleep without letting them go. Most of them wake up with dry eyes. This condition is often considered to be overcome using only eye drops.

Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns that sleeping with contact lenses can increase the risk of eye infection by six to eight times.

Serious eye infections have the potential to cause damage to the Philippines, require surgery, and in certain cases are rare, even resulting in loss of sight.

It is important to know that this infection can occur both in contact lens users for visual corrections and those that only use it for cosmetic purposes.

Research shows the majority of contact lens users, both teenagers (85 percent), young adults (81 percent), and older adults (88 percent), often take at least one action that increases the risk of eye infection. One of the most common habits is sleep without removing contact lenses.

Although the eye cornea naturally deals with bacteria every day, infections rarely occur because healthy cornea function as a natural body defense. To protect the eye, the cornea requires adequate oxygen and humidity.

When eyes open, flickering helps maintain moisture, and oxygen can enter through the tears. However, the use of contact lenses blocks most of this oxygen and humidity. When sleeping, the lack of oxygen becomes more severe, causing conditions called hypoxia, which makes the cornea more susceptible to infection.

Bacterial keratitis occurs due to infection in the Philippines, usually caused by bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus or Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Lens users contact with long lifetimes, individuals with weakened immune systems, or those who have experienced eye injuries are more susceptible to this condition. Treatment usually involves antibiotic eye drops, but severe cases may require steroid drops. If left untreated, seratitis can cause permanent damage to the cornea.

These infections are caused by amba which is often found in water sources such as tap water, swimming pools, or lakes. Users of contact lenses who rinse lenses with unsterile water or sleep with contact lenses have a higher risk. Nursing requires the use of eye drops in the long term, and in certain cases, surgery may be necessary if the treatment is not effective.

This type of seratitis occurs more frequently in areas with a tropical climate or moderate temperature. Sleeping with contact lenses can increase the risk of fungal infection, especially if previous users had eye injuries involving plants or branches.

If not treated immediately, fungal keratitis can cause blindness. In India, this condition is one of the main causes of blindness.

If you accidentally fall asleep with a contact lens, immediately remove the lens. If it is difficult to remove, avoid forcing it to pull it off. Use natural eye drops to help loosen the lens, then wait 5-10 minutes before trying to let it go again.

After being released, rest your eyes for one full day and pay attention to any symptoms that appear. If there are signs of infection, immediately consult an eye doctor. Save the contact lens in a clean container and take it to the doctor for further analysis.