Dismantling myths of the most frequent contact lenses
Surely over the years there have been many myths of contact lenses that you will have heard about their use and care. You may have even backed out if you were thinking about giving up prescription glasses and switching to contact lenses for fear that they would damage your eyes or because you thought they would be too difficult to put on.
However, there are many people who have incorporated them into their day to day without any problem and who have found many advantages of using contact lenses. They are a corrective alternative that brings great freedom to your routine by being able to do without prescription glasses and are perfect if you practice sports frequently or if your lifestyle is very dynamic.
In view of the widespread ignorance that exists around contact lenses and their use, from Optics & University Audiology we want to offer you the real keys so that you wear your contact lenses with total peace of mind, dismantling those myths of contact lenses and their use.
Contact lens myths
Myth 1. A contact lens can stick to the eye
Among the myths of the most frequent contact lenses this is one of the most common fears among people who consider wearing contact lenses, but the reality is that it is very unlikely that contact lenses stick and cling to the eyes, and even less if you follow the instructions for use that your specialist has given you.
It should be noted that the eye is an organ that is prepared to end up expelling any particle that enters it through blinking or tears.
Myth 2. Contact lenses can get lost behind the eye
This is another of the myths of contact lenses that you will have heard the most, but it is that losing a contact lens behind the eye is materially impossible. There is a membrane that covers the eye and connects with the inside of the eyelid, preventing any object from moving to the back of the eye.
Myth 3. Contact lenses are harmful to the eyes
Contact lenses are a safe and healthy corrective pathway for people suffering from vision problems. Of course, as long as the periodicity of use, hygiene and periodic reviews are respected.
For example, if contact lenses are worn daily for two or three days they can cause itching, irritation or redness and can end up leading to eye infections due to misuse.
Myth 4. Eyes need rest from continued use of contact lenses
Most of the soft contact lenses that are currently on the market are made of breathable materials, so you should be able to wear contact lenses daily without problem. However, it is not recommended that you wear them more than 12 hours a day, except for hydrogel silicone lenses, a state-of-the-art material that allows greater breathability of the eye.
Myth 5. Contact lenses are uncomfortable
Most contact lenses that are manufactured today are thin and soft. As we said, they are made from very breathable materials that let oxygen pass through and are comfortable for the human eye. It only takes a short period of adaptation to learn how to put on and take off your contact lenses and you will hardly notice that you are wearing them, so forget about one of those myths of contact lenses that are most repeated.
If this is the first time you wear contact lenses and you are worried that they do not adapt well to your eyes, in Optics & University Audiology we offer you the opportunity to check it for yourself with a month so you can try the contact lenses for free whatever eye correction you need.
Myth 6. Contact lenses cause conjunctivitis
The use of contact lenses does not cause conjunctivitis (correctly following the indicated cleaning and disposability indications). Even so, having conjunctivitis and wearing contact lenses is not a recommended practice, since you will not let your eyes heal properly and you can pass the infection to your other eye if you keep them in the same case. Therefore, it is important that if you notice any symptoms you remove the contact lenses and replace them with your prescription glasses until the infection is cured.
Myth 7. It’s hard to keep contact lenses clean
Taking care of your contact lenses is a very easy and simple practice. If you opt for daily contact lenses, the maintenance of these is minimal, since you must discard them after wearing them throughout the day and release new ones the next day. On the other hand, if you use monthly contact lenses, you should only clean them and store them at night in a specific contact lens liquid so that the contact lenses hydrate and you can put them on the next day.
Myth 8. You can sleep with contact lenses on
This is another of the myths of false contact lenses. While we sleep we are with our eyes closed, so it is difficult for the eye to be properly oxygenated and hydrated, thus causing dryness and itching. If you fall asleep during the day a few hours it is not dangerous, but if it becomes a frequent practice it can cause problems for your visual health.
There is a type of contact lenses that are much more breathable and with which you can sleep. It is, as we have already mentioned, silicone hydrogel lenses. Even so, it is not the best option for your eyesight and it is always better that you sleep without your contact lenses on.
Myth 9. Older people cannot wear contact lenses
Anyone of any age can wear contact lenses, whether they have myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism or presbyopia. It is important that they follow the recommendations for use and that they have sufficient autonomous capacity to put them on and take them off.
Myth 10. Contact lenses are more expensive than glasses
This is also one of the most widespread contact lens myths. Just as the price of prescription glasses changes according to the material, frame and brand; The price of contact lenses also varies depending on the periodicity you choose, the brand and the material.
As you can see, the use of contact lenses over time has generated many frequently asked questions, doubts and myths about contact lenses. If you have any questions when you put on your contact lenses or need answers to your questions, you can contact our specialists whenever you want.