Researchers from the University College London and Moorfields Eye Hospital recently conducted a study regarding contact lens usage.
More than 200 people who use contact lenses participated in the study. Study
results were published in Ophthalmology. What the researchers found was that participants who wore reusable soft contact lenses (ones that are changed on a monthly basis) were 3.8 times more likely than daily disposable contact lens wearers to develop the serious eye infection known as acanthamoeba keratits (AK) which is an infection of the cornea.
Other behaviors increased the risk of developing the infection as well. These factors include showering with contact lenses, which increased risk by 3.3 times and wearing contact lenses overnight, which increased the risk by 3.9 times. Daily disposable lens wearer who reused their contacts by storing them in a solution overnight increased their risk of infection by 5.4 fold.
This study indicates the importance of wearing contact lenses responsibly and the impact that proper care and use has on eye health. Researchers believe the study demonstrates that daily disposable contact lenses are the go-to option for those desiring to wear contacts.
