Dry Eye, Corneal Infections, Contact Lenses, and LASIK
Hello all and welcome to another lovely blog exploring existing eye care issues. This one attempts to address the reality of contact lens wear and care. Before we get rolling, we would like to point out that while it may seem like we’re coming down against contact lenses – we are really really not. We know contact lenses are a fantastic and viable solution for vision correction when properly maintained, but we are realists. We’ve talked with plenty of people over the years who wear contacts, enough to be realistic between what should happen, and what in quite a few cases does happen. We know that contact lenses are like a lot of things in life: they require maintenance, i.e. work and effort, and as such, sometimes the work just doesn’t get done. It’s just the reality.
Sadly, when the care of contacts is not done properly, that lack of proper care can lead to complications in one’s vision. Not following the proper procedures for caring for your contacts can lead to infections or dry eye. Infections can lead to scarring, cloudiness of the cornea, and permanent loss of vision.
Dry eye is a very common and often irritating condition that develops and worsens over time. Symptoms of dry eye can include inflammation, redness, and sensitivity to light. These symptoms, when left untreated, can lead to permanent light sensitivity and blurred vision.
A recent study concluded in October of 2018 studied cases of dry eye that existed prior to surgery and were re-evaluated after LASIK surgery was performed. In each case, the dry eye was lessened and the patients reported ecstatic results. Fantastic for those in that position of course, and an option you will want to discuss with your primary eye care provider if that is your situation as well. Further, prior studies have shown that infection risk with contacts is higher than the overall risks of LASIK. This, of course, should be considered and discussed with an eye care professional.
We would recommend a simple, but honest evaluation of your situation. Do you properly care for your contacts? Do you do some of the work but not nearly as well as you should? No matter how hard you try do you still not care for your contacts properly? It’s okay if you’ve answered yes to these questions. You’re not a bad person, in fact, you’re a step ahead of most people as you’ve had an honest conversation with yourself and are considering taking actions based on the way things actually are, not how you wish them to be. Kudos to you! So, if you’ve come to the conclusion that contacts are not the best corrective method for you, it’s time to explore alternative options.
The medical cases mentioned above are not provided to show that LASIK is better than contacts lenses, but rather to demonstrate there are options other than contact lenses available that are as effective. Why struggle with something that is not working for you? Instead, consider the alternatives. You might just be surprised at your options.
