Health of the cornea while wearing contact lenses; what Is The Cornea And Why Is Its Health Important?

Basically, the cornea is the outer covering of the eye. It is the transparent convex surface that covers the iris and pupil. Why should you care, you ask? Because the health of the cornea while wearing contact lenses is of considerable importance. Contact lenses, despite being a viable, useful alternative to glasses, can, with improper care, cause eye problems that if left unattended may become serious. Typically, these complications such as itchiness, eye redness, dryness or burning are merely irritating, but in rare cases (usually as a result of poor maintenance and care) can lead to various forms of Keratitis, the inflammation of the cornea. This in turn can possibly result in blindness.

By far the most recognized cause of problems associated with contact lenses is that of overnight use. Regardless of the type of lens, soft or hard, disposable or extended-use, it is widely recommended that they be removed at night. Continual use of lenses in this fashion (while you sleep) will greatly increase the risk of serious infection. To properly care for your eyes and thereby maintain the health of the cornea, a wetting solution (otherwise known as 'artificial tears' or eye drops) should be used to keep the eye moist.

Also important is the cleaning of your contact lenses. In addition to other basic rules that should be followed when handling them, lenses should never be cleaned with saliva or tap water. Instead a saline solution is recommended. Saline is essentially a salt solution whose main function is to keep the lenses moist.

For saline products and other contact lens-related paraphernalia, browse around the links on the right-hand side of the page. You're sure to see something you like and if you don't you probably need contact lenses!

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