Contact Lenses FAQs
Common Contact Lense Wear Questions
Can I wear my contact lenses longer than the manufactures recommended time?
No. It is vital that you only wear the contact lenses as per the manufactures instructions. If you do not follow these instructions you will significantly increase the chances of complications including eye infections. ALL contact lenses have to be replaced after a certain period of time.
What if I experience a problem?
Remove your contact lenses and consult your eyecare practitioner immediately. Any problems with contact lense wear, for example blurred vision, discomfort, or redness could be a sign of a serious complication.
What cleaning products should I use?
Your eyecare practitioner will advise the most appropriate cleaning products for your lenses. Please be aware certain cleaning products may not suit certain types of contact lenses or contact lens wearers.
Can a contact lens get "lost" in my eye?
It is possible though for the lens (sometimes misspelled as "contact lense") to get displaced, usually underneath the eyelid. Your eyecare practitioner will recommend the best technique for centering/ or removing a displaced lens. It is not possible for a lens to go ‘around the eyeball’, the eye has a barrier called the conjunctiva that stops this from occurring.
I experience "dry eye" symptoms – can I still wear contact lenses?
Mild dry eye cases can still wear contact lenses. There are many contacts available on the market today that are specifically designed for people with dry eyes. There are also lubricants, such as eye drops or gels that your eye care practitioner can prescribe for you. Severe dry eye patients usually cannot wear contact lenses- your eyecare practitioner will need to advise you on your individual circumstances.
Can I play sports with my contact lenses?
Yes. They are a very good alternative to glasses for sport. In particular, contact lenses will allow more freedom, and improved peripheral vision in most cases.
Can I go swimming with my contact lenses?
Generally not recommended. However, they usually can be worn safely with a good pair of swimming goggles. Note: Absolutely do not wear contact lenses in a spa or hot-tub as there is an increased risk of severe infection.
Can I wear coloured contact lenses?
The majority of contact lens wearers are able to wear coloured contact lenses however, you will need to consult your optometrist or ophthalmologist and obtain a valid coloured contact lens prescription.
General Contact Lens safety information
- Do not sleep in your contacts unless you have been otherwise advised by your eye care practitioner
- Please do not share your contact lenses with anyone
- Contact lenses are medical devises and must be correctly fitted
- When handled incorrectly they can transmit harmful bacteria that may lead to severe infection
- Wash hands thoroughly before handling your lenses
- Please attend your eye care practitioner for regular check up’s
- Replace lens storage cases every 3 months to prevent bacteria
- Insert eye contacts BEFORE applying makeup
- Do not use expired solution or lenses
- Remember all soft contact lenses absorb moisture, please do not use tap water or saliva when handling your lenses
Glossary of Common Eye-Related Terms
Aspheric – a contact lens with a changing curvature to correct vision more accurately.
Astigmatism – a common eye condition where the front surface of the eye is more oval instead of round which may result in blurred vision
Axis - precise orientation of the corrective lens, in order to correct astigmaatism
Base Curve – the inside curve of the contact lens. A number usually between 7.0 and 10.0, or sometimes specified as ‘steep’ or ‘flat’
Bifocal - contact lenses with two or more viewing zones
Cleaning Solution – product used in the cleaning process of contact lenses
Coloured lens - a contact lens with a tint or color added, mainly for the purposes enhancing or changing eye color
Colorblends - brand name of coloured lenses, Freshlook Colorblends
Cornea – front surface of the eye, where the contact lens sits
Corrective lens - see contact lens
Contact Lens – optical and medical device to correct refractive errors (focusing problems. It sits on the front surface of the eye, and needs to be fitted correctly by and eyecare professional.
Cylinder – measure of the amount of astigmastism
Daily Contact Lens - contact lenses that are designed to be worn for one day, and then disposed.
Deposits - accumulations of substances including protein, calcium, and lipids, onto the contact lens surface.
Diameter - the width of the eye, measured in millimeters
Diopter - measurement unit of the optical power of a contact lens
Disinfecting Solution - product used in the cleaning process of contact lenses
Enzyme cleaner tablets or Solution – one particular type of cleaning product, particularly useful against protein deposits on contact lense.
Eye Care Professional - see Optometrist, and Opthalmologist.
Flat medium - a term used for base curve measurement
Glaucoma - an eye disease where the optic nerve is damaged, which may cause loss of peripheral vision, or even blindness in severe cases. Raised pressure in the eye is a risk factor in the disease.
Hyperopia – a focusing error in the eye, where the light focuses behind the retina instead of onto it. This condition tends to blur near vision more than distance.
Longsighted – a common term used for hyperopia
Monovision – a type of vision correction where one eye is fitted with a contact lens for distance focus, and the other eye fitted with a contact lens for near focus.
Multifocal - a contact lens with both distance and near vision optical properties.
Myopia - a focusing error in the eye, where the light focuses in front of the retina instead of behind it. This condition tends to blur distance vision more than near.
OD - Latin abbreviation for right eye
OS - Latin abbreviation for left eye
Ophthalmologist – a highly qualified professional with a medical degree, and a specialization with eyes, and eye surgery.
Optometrist – a professional with a degree in eyecare. Can perform regular eye exams, diagnoses and treat certain eye diseases. Qualified to prescribe, fit and dispense eyeglasses and Contact Lenses.
Oxygen permeability - the amount of oxygen able to transmit through a certain contact lens material, measured and specified under certain testing conditions.
Power – optical strength of a contact lens
Presbyopia – a condition linked with age, where the natural focusing system declines for near vision
RGP (Rigid Gas Permeable) lens - specialized custom made contact lenses made of special rigid plastics, which allow oxygen transmission.
Rinsing Solution – one type of product used in the cleaning regime of contact lenses.
Rx - abbreviation for the word- prescription
Solution – general term used for the liquids used in the cleaning regimes of contact lenses. There are many different types of solutions, made for different types of contact lenses.
Sphere - a measurement of the optical power of the contact lens. it is a number usually between -20 and +20.
Steep medium - a term used for base curve measurement
Tint – how a contact lens is coloured. Tinting may be used for different reasons. A cosmetic tint is aimed at changing the appearance/ colour of the wearer’s eyes. A handling tint / or visibility tint is a light coloured tint aimed at improving the visibility of the lens, to make it easier to detect and handle.
Toric Lens -contact lens designed to have different powers at different angles, in order to correct astigmatism
Myopia
More commonly called shortsightedness. It is an eye condition where the lens and cornea focus the light incorrectly. In a normal eye the light is focused onto the retina (light sensitive nerve layer at the back of the eye). In myopia the light is focussed in front of the retina and so the image is blurred.
It is a very common condition. About 15 per cent of the Australian population is shortsighted. Usually myopia begins to develop in teenage years and it may get worse over the following few years.
How can I tell if I am shortsighted?
Shortsighted people have difficulty in seeing distant objects clearly. They find it hard to read road signs and scoreboards and to play ball games. Recognising people in the distance may be a problem for many shortsighted people. Often a person will not realise that they cannot see clearly but an eye examination by an optometrist will reveal the problem.
What causes myopia?
The exact causes of myopia are not known. At various times people have blamed excessive amounts of reading, poor metabolism, poor diet, poor light, poor posture and genetic factors.
Recent research has shown that the development of myopia is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors.
Can myopia be cured or prevented?
Despite ongoing research, a cure for myopia has not yet been found.
Properly prescribed spectacles or contacts will enable a person with myopia to see clearly. Laser surgery to reshape the front surface of the eye can also help some people with myopia. Your optometrist can advise you about the latest developments and whether they would be suitable for you.
There is no certain prevention for myopia. However there is currently a great amount of research being done, due to the large amount of people this condition affects.
Hyperopia
More commonly called longsightedness. It is an eye condition where the eyeball is a little smaller than it should be, and as a result the lens and cornea focus the light incorrectly. In a normal eye the light is focused onto the retina (light sensitive nerve layer at the back of the eye). In hyperopia, the light is focussed behind the retina. Hyperopia can affect near vision more than distance, but it can affect both.
In mild cases, the eye can actually compensate by moving the ciliary muscle (internal muscle of the eye) and lens, which focuses the image correctly on the retina. However, the greater amount of hyperopia, the more difficult it is for the eye to focus without the help of glasses or contact lenses. Symptoms may include tired eyes or headaches after a lot of visual work, even if their vision is clear. Reading is more difficult and near work can be affected.
Causes of hyperopia is often thought to be hereditary, but no-one is certain.
What do we do about hyperopia?
The optometrist has many things to consider when making a decision and symptoms are very important. In general, young people who are slightly hyperopic do not have problems. If they do, they may benefit from spectacles or contact lenses.
Older people, or young people with significant hyperopia, often have problems because focusing requires much effort. Their vision is more likely to be blurred, especially for close objects. They usually need spectacles for reading and sometimes for distance vision as well.
Astigmatism
Astigmatism is a focusing error which causes asymmetric blur. Some directions in an image are more out of focus than others.
Astigmatism causes different amounts of blur in different directions. This causes images to appear distorted, or sometimes even double. Certain letters may be more difficult to read than others, depending on the orientation of the lines within them.
What causes astigmatism?
Most astigmatism is caused by the shape of the front surface of the eye (the cornea) being more oval in shape instead of round. It can also be caused by slight tilting of the lens inside the eye. As a result the light entering the eye is focused differently in different directions. It may be an inherited characteristic or a normal variation accompanying growth.
How does astigmatism affect me?
Astigmatism can blur both near and far vision. Objects at all distances are indistinct or blurred and the eye cannot focus. Even slight degrees may encourage headaches, fatigue and reduce concentration. This is because the eyes may try, without success, to correct the blur, and because there is a tendency to screw up the eyes to try to see better, producing discomfort in the muscles of the eyelid and face.
How is astigmatism corrected?
Spectacles and contact lenses can correct astigmatism. Sometimes correction of astigmatism can cause change in the apparent size and shape of objects and may affect judgement of distance. Astigmatism is not an eye disease and any changes are generally gradual and not necessarily for the worse. Most people have at least very slight astigmatism.
Presbyopia
Presbyopia is a common condition that makes near vision difficult. It is a focusing error linked with age.
With age the internal lens of the eye loses flexibility and is less able to change its shape. This is a completely normal ageing change, just like stiffening joints or greying hair. The loss in lens flexibility is the reason that close focusing becomes more difficult. Everyone experiences this change. It is a condition that cannot be prevented.
Although difficulties with close work may seem to come on suddenly (around the age 40 to 45), the loss of flexibility of the internal lens is actually slow process that starts early in life. Between the ages of 45 and 65, the amount of presbyopia increases, making near work more difficult. From 65 years onwards, there are unlikely to be any further significant changes to vision due to presbyopia.
Presbyopia is corrected by spectacles or contact lenses.
Cataracts
Cataracts are cloudy areas that form in the lens of the eye. The lens is normally clear. Poor vision results because the cloudiness interferes with light entering the eye. The opacities in the lens scatter the light, causing hazy vision, in the same way that a dirty window scatters light.
Cataracts are not a growth of any sort. The causes are a result of ageing and long-term exposure to ultraviolet light. Some are caused by injury and certain diseases and in rare cases by exposure to toxic materials and radiation. Occasionally cataracts are present at birth, due to the baby's mother having had rubella during the pregnancy, or due to genetic defects.
Cataracts are very common. People older than 65 years often have signs of cataracts and should have their eyes examined regularly. However the extent of the cataract varies considerably between individuals of the same age.
When they start affecting vision significantly, cataracts are treated. This is in the form of surgery to remove the cataract and replace it with a clear plastic implant called an IOL (intraocular implant). Cataract surgery is now a relatively minor procedure. Often it is performed under a local anaesthetic. Depending on the patient, the surgery may be performed on an out-patient basis. This means that the patient attends a hospital or clinic for the surgery and is able to go home the same day. The surgery is performed by an ophthalmologist, a medical doctor who specialises in eye surgery. Your optometrist will refer you to an ophthalmologist if necessary.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a condition in which the optic nerve, at the back of the eye, is damaged. Glaucoma is often associated with a build-up of pressure in the eye, however this is not always the case.
The exact causes of glaucoma are not known. In some cases the drainage network of the eye may not be formed properly, or may become blocked by natural materials or due to injury; in other cases there is no clear cause.
If untreated, glaucoma can cause blindness. It is a disease that can destroy parts of your peripheral vision initially. This damage can progress until only central vision is left or until the person is completely blind. The longer the disease is left untreated, the greater is the likelihood of damage.
How can I tell if I have glaucoma?
Often you will not be aware that you have glaucoma until it is too late. Usually there are no symptoms until permanent damage has occurred. In some cases the increased pressure in the eye will cause blurred vision, apparent coloured rings around lights, loss of side vision, and pain and redness of the eye.
How does an optometrist diagnose glaucoma?
To diagnose glaucoma the optometrist looks at the nerve fibres at the back of the eye, examines the eye's drainage network, measures the pressure in the eye with a special instrument called a tonometer and tests the field of vision. These tests are simple and painless.
How is glaucoma treated?
Eye drops and medicine are used to treat glaucoma initially. Surgery may be necessary if the blockage in the drainage system cannot be removed in other ways. Your optometrist will refer you to an eye specialist for treatment if they consider you have glaucoma.
Macular Degeneration
Also known as Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), is damage or breakdown of the macula. The macula is a very small, important part of the retina, the light-sensitive tissue of the eye, which is responsible for central vision. This is the part of the retina which governs your central vision.
As ARMD damages your central vision, but leaves the peripheral vision unaffected. ARMD is the result of ageing processes in the eye, and also there is some hereditary component. Some of the layers of the retina thicken and waste material which is usually removed from the retina forms deposits, distorting the retina. This distortion can cause damage to the other layers of the retina. In about 10 per cent of cases, new blood vessels grow into the macula from beneath. These newly-formed vessels often leak blood into the retina where the blood causes scar tissue to form. The scarring can affect vision severely.
ARMD mainly affects older people: about four per cent of those more than 40 years old, nine per cent of those over 50 years, 23 per cent of those over 65 years and 31 per cent of those aged 80 years or more. Men and women are equally affected. ARMD accounts for up to 45 per cent of legal blindness and up to 70 per cent of seriously impaired vision in people over the age of 70 years.
How is ARMD detected and diagnosed?
People with ARMD may notice that their vision has deteriorated. Many patients do not realise that they have a problem until their vision becomes blurred. Optometrists perform a number of tests in an examination that enable them to detect the presence of ARMD in the early stages.
Can ARMD be treated?
ARMD has traditionally been a difficult disease to treat. Because nerve cells cannot regenerate, damage to nerve tissue, such as the retina, is usually permanent and irreversible. This is why the vision loss in ARMD is so difficult to treat, compared with other vision disorders.
Pterygium
A pterygium (pronounced te-ri-gi-um, plural: pterygia) is a triangular-shaped lump of tissue which grows from the conjunctiva (the thin membrane which covers the white of the eye) on to the cornea (the clear central part of the eye). Pterygia often occur in both eyes, usually on the side of the eye closer to the nose. A pterygium is not a cancer.
The exact causes of pterygia are not known, but they are strongly associated with exposure to ultraviolet radiation and hot, dry environments. Pterygia are more common among people such as farmers and surfers who spend a lot of time outdoors, but anyone can develop a pterygium.
Pterygia are not dangerous, although they can look ugly and cause some discomfort. The main problem with pterygia is that as they grow on the cornea they distort it, interfering with vision. If the pterygium grows on to the central part of the cornea it can begin to block light from entering the eye.
Although a pterygium is not dangerous, it should be checked to make sure that it is not something more serious. If you have any area of tissue on or around the eyes that changes rapidly you should consult an optometrist or eye surgeon (ophthalmologist) immediately.
How can pterygia be treated?
In cases where the pterygium is not actively growing on to the cornea, protecting the eyes from ultraviolet light often will stabilise its growth. In many cases, provided it is not threatening vision and it remains stable, this may be all that is required.
In cases where the pterygium is actively growing on to the cornea and threatening to distort the vision, the only effective treatment is surgical removal. Fortunately this is relatively minor surgery that is usually performed under a local anaesthetic. Your optometrist can assess the pterygium and refer you to an eye surgeon if it requires removal.
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