Eye-eating blindness inducing bacteria live on your contact lenses

Another reason not to wear contacts. Great.

http://www.medicaldaily.com/articles/11969/20120906/eye-eating-amoeba-causes-blindness-contact-lens.htm

Reply 1

Ham22

15

I wore them for two years and my eyes remained intact at the end of it.

Reply 2

FreeHat

Original post by Ham22

I wore them for two years and my eyes remained intact at the end of it.

that's what the bacteria want you to believe

Reply 3

ProStacker

11

You could always look for another source and get a more balanced view:

http://water.epa.gov/action/advisories/acanthamoeba/index.cfm

use proper solution and hygine and you'll be fine.

Reply 4

SillyRodent

9

I would never wash my lenses with water anyway.

Reply 5

Riku

2

So I'm going to go from so short-sighted I'm nearly blind to actually blind? FML
:rollseyes:

I've worn them for years and my eyes are fine as are several people I know who wear them. As the article says the virus isn't that common and people who do things like rinse them in tap water (which they tell you not to do when you first get them fitted) who are most as risk. If you take proper care of them you'll be fine.

This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my ST18i

Reply 8

MancBoy

12

Doesn't tap water get into the eyes when you're showering/washing your face?

Reply 9

kiss_me_now9

16

Original post by MancBoy

Doesn't tap water get into the eyes when you're showering/washing your face?

Yes, but if you don't have your contacts in it's not a problem.

If you wash your lenses in tap water, or wear them swimming/in the shower/when you wash your face (regularly) you're at risk of introducing this bacteria but if you're sensible and follow what you're told to do by your optician then you'll be fine.

Reply 10

MancBoy

12

Original post by kiss_me_now9

Yes, but if you don't have your contacts in it's not a problem.

If you wash your lenses in tap water, or wear them swimming/in the shower/when you wash your face (regularly) you're at risk of introducing this bacteria but if you're sensible and follow what you're told to do by your optician then you'll be fine.

Ah right I have contact lenses and my optometrist told me about this years ago. She said use Saline to rinse everything instead of tap water.

Reply 11

Chiko 1001

14

Just don't wash your lenses in water and always dry your hands well before putting lenses in (as obviously you wash your hands every time).

I've worn contacts for 2.5 years and been fine. I opted for dailies because they can just be chucked if anything goes wrong so I'm not tempted to wipe down a dirty lens and take the chance. Just got to be sensible with hygiene and you'll be fine.

Reply 12

Design_Me_A_Tom

13

Damn, I better start cleaning my lenses better. Normally I just take them out and put them back in the container without cleaning them.

Reply 13

mel_1991

9

I wear dailies, have done for years and I'm fine. Just don't do stupid things like rinsing them in tap water and sleeping with them in and you'll be fine.