Dr. Fernandez-Velazquez urges wearers to buy their lenses with care
Dr. Fernandez-Velazquez is urging contact lens wearers to always buy their contact lenses under the supervision of a registered practitioner and in person.
Also, commented: “Contact lens wearers who buy lenses from sources other than their eyecare practitioner (i.e. Internet) have been shown to be less likely to follow good eyecare health practices, including being less likely to attend regular aftercare check-ups.
“A recent study reported that the risk of contact lens-related microbial keratitis – a potentially sight-threatening inflammation of the cornea – was 4.8 times more likely in those who purchased their lenses online compared to those who directly bought from their eyecare practitioner”.
“Thankfully it is extremely rare for someone to develop an eye infection as a result of contact lens wear – and even less common for this to result in a loss of vision or the eye itself,” added Dr Fernandez-Velazquez. “However, infections of the cornea can be very serious and are most commonly associated with patients not following the precise instructions for lens care and wear given to them by their optometrists.”
Also it is important to remember to all optometrists to revisit optimum lens care habits with patients at each lens aftercare visit at least in each six-month check-up.
Dr. Fernandez-Velazquez is a member of the British Contact Lens Association (BCLA) . You can get more information about proper habits with contact lenses in http://www.bcla.org.uk/en/consumers/index.cfm.