Extended Wear Contact Lens

Extended wear contact lens are lenses that may be worn in an extended period of time unlike the daily wear contact lens.  These extended wear contact lenses are approved by the Food and Drug Administration to be worn without removal for up to seven days.

There are new developments for an extended wear contact lens.  Silicone hydrogel is a new type of soft contact lens material that permits more air to go to the cornea; the FDA approved this to be worn up to a month without removal.  This type of lens is called the continuous wear”.

Eye care practitioners are dubious with the use of extended wear contact lens because it increases the risk of infections, particularly to those who wears it overnight.  It poses higher risks because the eyes might get infection from the organisms that are trapped on the lenses.  They can thrive on the warm and moist environment and due to the lack of oxygen to the cornea; the eye is prone to infection from these organisms.  Caution must be applied whenever you are using extended wear contact lens as it can lead to mild infections to more serious conditions like blindness.

Because of the growing popularity of the disposable contact lens, extended wear contact lens is making a comeback.  The reason that people acquire eye infections is after they take off their extended lenses and despite cleaned with contact lens solution it was impossible to remove all the proteins and lipids and other deposits accumulated on the lens.  The contact lenses becomes a breeding ground for bacteria and whenever the individual wears the lenses again, it could cause infection and inflammation of the eyes. Today, the contact lenses are disposed after use and never to be used again, avoiding infection from contaminants.

The main causes of infections and discomfort can be attributed to improper cleaning and disinfecting but one also has to consider the lifestyle as well.  Make sure to avoid exposure to smoke, wearing the contact lens when swimming because this may also leas to serious complications due to infections.  Asking advice from an eye doctor if a extended contact lens is appropriate for a person’s requirement is a must.