author:Petra Thurel
source_url:http://www.articlecity.com/articles/health/article_3567.shtml
date_saved:2007-07-25 12:30:11
category:health
article:

Tips For Contact Lens Wearers To Keep Their Eyes Happy

The cornea of the eye is one of the few “breathing” organs
of the body. Hence, contact lens must be able to breathe in
order for you not to experience the discomforts that many
people encounter upon wearing contacts. Some contacts are
better for some people’s eyes since some eyes are able to
absorb oxygen better. Unfortunately, not all eyes react
positively to a foreign object like contact lens. For some
people, it takes some time for your eyes to adjust to direct
contact with lenses.

The oxygen supply to the cornea is slightly less absorbed
when contact lenses cover the cornea. When the eye doesn’t
get enough oxygen, it becomes dry. Soft or flexible
disposable contacts tend to alleviate this problem since the
contact is very porous. A porous contact allows more oxygen
to filter through. However, a very porous contact also
filters more natural light than an eye is used to. To
adjust for this problem, most people find they must wear a
slightly lower prescription. Also, by wearing sunglasses
outside, the wearer’s eyes become less sensitive to
sunlight.

Another condition that happens when your cornea doesn’t get
enough oxygen is a blood shot eye. A blood shot eye happens
in response to the cornea looking for another way to get
more oxygen. Since the cornea is without blood vessels, the
retina pumps up its veins in attempt to absorb more oxygen.
This response can lead to other problems over time like
corneal neovascularization and macular degeneration disease.

If you encounter pain and swelling in your eyes while you
wear contacts, immediately let your regular physician or
optometrist know. These conditions are not natural for the
eye and sometimes are caused by not properly caring for your
lenses. Routinely cleansing your lenses with solutions is
very important to remove natural deposits on the lenses and
keep your eyes healthy. Special moisteners are available as
drops for contact wearers. Since saliva carries nasty
germs, you shouldn’t use your saliva to wash off or clean
your contact lenses. Another tip to keep your eyes from
getting irritated while wearing lens is to always fresh
makeup so that it doesn’t flake into your eyes and slide
between your lens and cornea.

Over 30 million Americans wear contact lens.
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