Contact lens – Beauty and the Beast

Eyes are the doors to the world. It is through the eyes that one gets to enjoy the beauty of everything in and around. Every eye has its own uniqueness and individuality. Some add make up to enhance the beauty of the eyes while some prefer to leave it the way it is.

The common trend, growing among the teens and youngsters now a days is the use of contact lens to add beauty to the eyes. Earlier, it was used to replace the glasses that people thought to spoil their beauty; but today it’s a cosmetic use.

Contact lens comes in various colors and models. People tend to choose from wide variety of colors that best suit their complexion and beauty. Among this beauty consciousness, what one tends to forget is the safe and hygienic handling of the contact lens. Many have reported to the emergency due to the complication of the lens. This arises due to the lack of knowledge on proper handling of the lens or simply due to carelessness and the failure to take it seriously.

Every individual irrespective of the use of contacts (therapeutic or cosmetic) need to consult the ophthalmologist before starting to use the same. This is because, it can cause serious damage and even lead to blindness if not used under proper guidance. The most common of all is a corneal ulcer that develops suddenly and land in severe complications.

The common symptoms of eye irritation includes discomfort, excess tearing or other discharge, unusual sensitivity to light, itching, burning, or gritty feelings, unusual redness, blurred vision, swelling and pain. Immediate attention of a professional is required if someone complaints of these.

A common known fact on usage of contact lens is “Proper Hand Hygiene”. Washing the hands before and after touching contact lens is very much important. Contact lens should not be washed under running tap water or normal water. It needs to be cleansed off only in solution recommended for the same. The storage case needs to be changed every 6 months and the solution in case must not be refilled without discarding the old solution.

Extra care needs to be taken while using the lens such as one should not rub the eyes hard while its in place. Lens should be removed while going for swimming or during a barbeque session or while outside that increases the exposure to extreme temperatures or dust. All these can increase the chances for eye infection or the extreme end of landing in blindness. Most important lens should never be “Shared”.

Kids below 18years need the supervision of the elders while using the lens. It is better not to allow kids below the age of 18 years to use the lens for better safety of the eyes. It is important for parents to educate their children on these aspects there by can prevent a lot of eye problems. It is important to have the telephone number of the local physician or the ophthalmologist handy in case emergency arises.

There are various companies that have come up with varieties of contact lens and different colors. One needs to be careful on which company they choose to buy the lens and also check on the materials that are used to produce the same, as some individuals may be allergic to the chemical that is used to manufacture the lens. If the same is used for therapeutic purposes, cross check by the professional is needed to identify whether the correct power is assigned to the lens before usage, as even improper power of the lens also damages vision if unnoticed.

Contact lens no doubt adds beauty to one’s eyes but if handled improperly or inefficiently can become the beast in ruining all the beauty. Always go through the usage manual provided by the manufacturer or get the best advise from the professional before adding the beauty lest it doesn’t become the beast.