Amid this COVID-19 pandemic, safeguarding our health is at the forefront of everyone’s mind. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends taking extra precautions when putting our hands anywhere near our faces, so what’s a contact lens wearer to do? And are they at increased risk of exposure?
According to the CDC, there is currently no evidence to suggest that contact lens wearers are at a greater risk of acquiring COVID-19 than eyeglass wearers. Even though there isn’t any evidence of increased risk of transmission, it continues to be important to maintain safe and healthy contact lens wear and hygiene(1).
The CDC and American Optometric Association (AOA) have provided guidelines to encourage safe and healthy hygiene habits for contact lens wear. Following are seven of these guidelines. 7 Healthy Habits Contact Lens Wearers Should Practice During the COVID-19 Pandemic1. Wash your hands2. Remove contact lenses before sleep3. Keep contact lenses away from water (e.g. swimming or showering)4. Clean and take care of contact lenses and case properly
5. Discontinue wear if sick6. Follow proper wearing schedule
7. Talk with your eye care provider
For tools to educate your patients on healthy contact lens wear in your office or online, check out this article.
Sources:
1. Coronavirus (COVID-19) frequently asked questions. (2020, April 22). Retrieved May 4, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html#How-to-Protect-Yourself 2. Protect Your Eyes. (2020, April 9). Retrieved May 4, 2020 from https://www.cdc.gov/contactlenses/protect-your-eyes.html 3. Contact lens wear during COVID-19. (2020, April). Retrieved May 5, 2020, from https://www.aoa.org/covid-19-patient-resources/contact-lens-wear-during-covid-19
6 Comments
9/28/2020 07:18:23 pm
My vision has been blurry lately, probably because of binge-watching, which is why I've decided to start looking for an optician that may suggest contact lenses. Well, I'm glad about these types; I'll make sure to always wash my hands before touching my contacts. I'll also keep in mind to replace its case every three months.
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Stephen H.
9/30/2020 01:17:37 pm
Hi, Rachel. Thanks for reading and leaving a comment today.
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12/22/2020 10:33:38 am
It's helpful to know that we should start using a new case for our contact lenses at least once every three months. My sister told me she's interested in changing up her look by getting a prescription for contact lenses next month. Thanks for sharing this advice I can give her to ensure she stays safe while wearing the lenses!
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1/6/2021 09:11:35 pm
Thanks for explaining that it would be smart to always remember to wash my hands before handling the contacts. It does seem like a good idea to do if I want to stay healthy. I should probably also make sure that I keep my contacts clean. It might be smart to get one-day use contact from an eye doctor as well.
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2/3/2021 12:47:18 pm
Thank you for mentioning the importance of talking to your eye care provider in order to determine how you should be caring for your contact lenses. My wife has been unable to read while she is at work because her vision is starting to get blurry, and she'd like to find some contact lenses that are easy to clean since she spends a lot of time outside when she is working. Maybe she should find an eye care professional that can help identify her options.
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