Contact lenses are really safe if used properly. While contacts are created to be used for long periods every day, there are particular times when you ought to eliminate them. Contact lenses must be eliminated before coming into contact with any water, including shower water. Leaving your contact lenses in while showering may be more convenient, however doing so can lead an infection that may cause pain, visual impairment and loss of sight.
Can I Take a Shower With Contact Lenses?
Acanthamoeba
Shower water can include acanthamoeba, a tiny organism that takes place naturally in the environment. It can reside in sea water, lakes and rivers. It can likewise live in faucet water that comes out of sinks and shower heads. While acanthamoeba hardly ever causes disease, it can cause an infection.
Acanthamoeba Keratitis
Acanthamoeba keratitis is an eye infection caused by acanthamoeba, makings its way into the eye through water. Acanthamoeba keratitis most commonly happens in contact lenses users. Showering with contact lenses increases the risk of infection due to the fact that the lenses can trap water containing the organism. Once acanthamoeba is on the eye, it launches proteins that liquify the cornea, the external layer of the eye. It then attacks the cornea and starts consuming the corneal cells and the eye’s naturally taking place bacteria.
Symptoms
The early symptoms of acanthamoeba keratitis consist of redness, blurred vision, eye pain, excessive tearing, level of sensitivity to light and a feeling that there is something in the eye. If left untreated, acanthamoeba keratitis can lead to severe pain, permanent vision problems as well as loss of sight. Anyone with these symptoms must see an eye doctor right away for examination and treatment. He will identify the infection by taking a scraping of the eye and/or through a confocal microscopy. Several prescription medicines are usually had to treat the infection.
Prevention
To prevent the opportunities of getting acanthamoeba keratitis, remove your contact lenses before entering any contact with water, especially before showering. Keep a pair of spectacles nearby if you can not get in and out of the shower safely without restorative lenses. Glasses can be made with anti-fog coating; a cheaper alternative is spraying them with an anti-fog spray.