If you’re wondering how safe and reliable online vision tests are, you’re not alone. While seeing an optometrist or ophthalmologist in person may be required for some people, many patients can get simple prescriptions for contacts and glasses renewed with visual acuity tests performed online. Find out if an online vision test is right for you!
It’s no surprise that millions of people choose contacts instead of glasses to correct their vision. For many people, contacts are more comfortable, convenient and attractive—improving both eyesight and quality of life.
But wearing contacts also comes with responsibility and some risks. As many as one third of contact lens wearers have dealt with contact-related redness, irritation or infection that required a doctor’s visit. And up to 90 percent break at least some of the rules of good contact hygiene.
If you don’t take proper care of your contacts and follow the recommendations for how and when you wear them, you’re putting your eye health at risk. Most contact-related eye problems are minor, but about 1 in 500 contact wearers experience infections serious enough that they could lead to blindness .
Scary statistics aside, taking steps to keep your eyes safe is really pretty simple. Follow these rules, and you’ll be able to wear your contacts without worry.
The number one cause of contact-related eye problems is bacteria and bacterial infection. And while you can’t completely prevent bacteria from getting into your eyes and onto your contacts, you can control how well you clean them off.
Never put your contacts in your mouth to clean or moisten them and never rinse or store them in tap water. Both contain bacteria that can lead to serious eye infections.
Before handling your contacts, always wash and dry your hands thoroughly. If you use saline or multipurpose contact lens solution to clean and store your contacts, proper cleaning and storing requires a few steps. First, wet your lens with solution. Then, rub the lens between your fingers and rinse it again with more solution before placing it in the case.
Since most people don’t do all those steps, contact lens solutions containing hydrogen peroxide can be a good option. They effectively clean contacts without rubbing. Whatever solution you choose to use, don’t ever reuse it. Empty any solution left in your lens case, rinse it carefully with fresh solution and let it air dry. And be sure to replace your case at least every three months so that bacteria doesn’t build up on it.
Contacts and water are not a good mix. Organisms and bacteria in the water (whether it’s from your tap, a pool, lake, stream or ocean) can get into your eyes and lodge underneath your contacts. This can cause redness, irritation and even potentially dangerous infections.
Since it’s not always practical to remove your contacts before you swim or shower, take precautions:
Many contact lenses are marketed as being safe to sleep in. That doesn’t mean it’s always a good idea. When you’re awake, you blink your eyes frequently, which keeps them lubricated and helps sweep away bacteria that gets between your eyes and your contacts. But when you’re sleeping, your eyes are closed for hours at a time, creating a warm, moist environment for bacteria to grow.
Sleeping in contacts also means less oxygen gets to your corneas. If you do need to sleep in your contacts on occasion, ask your eyecare provider about the best options. Some brands (such as Air Optix Night and Day) are specially formulated to allow more oxygen through, even when your eyes are closed.
Even if you take meticulous care of your contacts, they still need to be replaced on the appropriate schedule. But whether it’s because they’re trying to save money or haven’t had time to renew their prescription, too many people continue to use the same pair of contacts for longer than they should.
Wearing your dailies for a week, your weeklies for a month or your monthlies for several months is a recipe for infection. Each of these types of contacts is designed to be safe for a specific time period—not longer. If you have trouble keeping track of when it’s time for a new pair, set a reminder on your calendar.
Contact lenses are a safe and effective way for most people to correct their vision. But it’s important to practice good hygiene and never try to inappropriately extend their lifespan. By offering easy, affordable and accessible online eye exams, we help people renew their contact lens prescriptions on schedule and keep their corneas safe.
Source for stats: CDC
Taking good care of your eyes and your overall health can go a long way toward preventing age-related eye conditions. Eating an eye-healthy diet that includes lots of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables slows down the formation of cataracts and reduces your risk of macular degeneration. Getting plenty of exercise and maintaining a healthy weight can prevent diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure--both of which affect vision and eye health. And while you may not be able to prevent the presbyopia (and need for reading glasses) that comes with getting older, your eyecare professional can make sure you get the correct vision correction to see clearly.
The sun’s rays contain damaging ultraviolet (UV) light. The same UV rays that burn your skin and lead to skin cancer also affect your eyes. Staring directly into strong sunlight can damage the retina. And repeated sun exposure over time can lead to cataracts, benign growths on the eyes and even eye cancer. Protect your eyes anytime you’re in the sun by wearing sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB rays.
Some people claim that by correcting your vision with prescription glasses or contacts, you’re weakening your eyes—which then leads to worse vision. Their “proof” is that after wearing your corrective prescription for a while, your vision appears blurrier when you’re not wearing it. But that’s likely because you’re now used to seeing the world in clear, crisp detail—and in contrast, your uncorrected vision appears fuzzier. Getting the proper vision correction for your eyes is essential for your eye health. Don’t try to tough it out if you can’t see clearly. Visit your eyecare professional for an in-person or virtual vision screening.
Not having a bright enough light may make it harder to clearly see the words on the page, but it won’t damage your eyes or permanently impact your vision. Because you’re straining to see, you might get a headache or other symptoms of eyestrain. If you want to read in bed without illuminating the entire bedroom, get a reading light that provides just enough brightness to see your book clearly.
LASIK surgery corrects your distance vision only, so people who are nearsighted benefit most from it. But LASIK doesn’t affect the lens of the eye, the part that helps you focus up close. As you get older, changes to the lens impact your ability to see close up. So even if you have LASIK in your 20s or 30s, you’ll most likely still need reading glasses by the time you hit your 40s or 50s.
Having your face right up next to the bright screen may give you a headache or even cause some temporary eyestrain or fatigue, but it won’t damage your vision. Children are more prone to this behavior than adults—which may be because children can focus close up better than adults can. But if your child can only see the television clearly when sitting close (and has to hold other things close to see them clearly), they may be nearsighted. Taking your child to an eyecare professional for a vision exam will help determine if they need glasses to see clearly.
Most eyecare professionals recommend removing—and thoroughly cleaning—your contacts every night. Even if you use extend-wear lenses that are approved for use a week or month at a time, it’s always safer to give your eyes a nightly break. Your contacts are more likely to accumulate bacteria when you leave them in 24/7, and that can lead to eye infections. Sleeping in your contacts also prevents essential oxygen from getting to your corneas. If you must sleep in your contacts, make it a once-in-a-while event and ask your eyecare provider about contacts that are specially formulated to let more oxygen through.
Carrots (along with other vegetables like sweet potatoes and dark leafy greens) contain high amounts of beta-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A. Vitamin A is essential for eye health, and a deficiency of the nutrient is the leading cause of childhood blindness in developing countries. In the U.S., vitamin A deficiency is rare, and few people get so little it could impact their eyesight. Also, there’s no evidence that beta-carotene affects the sharpness of your vision or can prevent near or farsightedness. So while getting lots of beta-carotene in your diet may help keep your eyes healthy, no amount of carrots is going to actually improve your vision and allow you to toss out your glasses or contacts.
The jury is still out on how effective blue light glasses are for eyestrain. One recent study found they made no difference in eyestrain symptoms during a two-hour-long computer task. But some experts feel they may help alleviate eyestrain and fatigue during prolonged, cumulative screen time. Either way, blue glasses alone won’t solve the problem of too much screen time. The best way to reduce eyestrain is to limit screen time and take frequent breaks when you do need to spend several hours at your computer.
The jury is still out on how effective blue light glasses are for eyestrain. One recent study found they made no difference in eyestrain symptoms during a two-hour-long computer task. But some experts feel they may help alleviate eyestrain and fatigue during prolonged, cumulative screen time. Either way, blue glasses alone won’t solve the problem of too much screen time. The best way to reduce eyestrain is to limit screen time and take frequent breaks when you do need to spend several hours at your computer.
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