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The use of contact lens in Hong Kong is very common, but inappropriate care and cleaning can result in many complications, e.g. infection of the cornea (keratitis). Patients may experience eye redness, fear of light, blurring of vision. If not detected and treated early, keratitis may progress to abscess formation and even blindness.
Contact lenses are medical products. By law, only registered ophthalmologist and optometrists can prescribe them. Individuals should have their eyes examined by eye professionals before using contact lenses.
Unless one-day disposable contact lenses are used, all contact lenses (traditional permanent or other disposable contact lenses) should be cleaned thoroughly after use each day to prevent growth of bacteria on the lenses. Long-term disposable lenses, e.g. monthly contact lenses should be sterilized every few days to further reduce the risk of corneal infection. Moreover, individuals should not use their contact lenses beyond the advised period of use, e.g. 2 weekly disposables should not be used for 15 days.
There are 2 types of contact lens care products available. One type are single-purpose products which includes cleansing solutions, sterilizing solutions containing hydrogen peroxide and neutralizing agents, protein removers and saline solutions for rinsing and storing. The other types are multipurpose solutions, where a single solution is used to clean, rinse and store contact lenses. No matter which type of products used, one must be careful not to contaminate the mouth of the bottle. Do not use home-made saline or saliva for cleansing.
Also, many people only remember to clean the contact lenses and neglect the cleaning of the contact lens case. If the case is not cleaned, the lenses could quickly be contaminated by the bacteria in the case. After taking out the lenses from the case, do not store the case in humid conditions as this promotes bacterial growth that may be difficult to eradicate. The best way is to use a brush to clean the case, then rinse with distilled water or use boiling water for sterilization. Then store in airy places, with the cover opened to allow it to air dry. The case needs to be replaced regularly, approximately every 3 months.
If the following problems are experienced, including eye redness, pain or blurring of vision, immediately remove the contact lenses and wear spectacles. If these symptoms persist, one should consult an ophthalmologist.
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