A 39-year-old named Groeschen got up one morning just to see his eye got irritated during the night. He believed it could be allergies that caused the irritation, but the condition of his eye became worse and worse in the days that followed and he was forced to seek medical help.
Once at the Cincinnati Eye Institute, he received some bad news. He contracted a bacteria known as Pseudomonas. The reason why, according to his doctors, was that he was going to bed at night with his contact lenses on and this bacteria is capable of “incubating” below contact lenses.
Groeschen was prescribed antibiotics which helped him get rid of the bacteria, but sadly, the damage was already done; he had already acquired a corneal ulcer, and the scar tissue that the bacteria left behind has caused him to lose the sight on the eye.
“It is the same as seeing through a piece of glass that is opaque. Your cornea becomes somewhat eroded as a result of the illness,” doctors told him. “The scar tissue that forms as a result of the infection will make it difficult for you to see as the infection clears up.”
Unfortunately, the only way for him to regain his sight was a cornea transplant, a surgery with a recovery time of approximately one year.
Being the owner of a design-based restorations company left Groechen unable to keep up with the work.
According to Groeschen, the packaging for the contacts that he slept in indicates that it is safe to wear them while sleeping. But this is definitely not the best advice people need to follow.
The American Academy of Ophthalmology issued a warning in 2013 that stated “overnight wear, regardless of contact lens type, increases the incidence of corneal infection.”
Dr. William Faulkner, who treated Groeschen, said for the media, “Security is the major concern for the eyes, and if contacts are worn overnight, it is something that I would not advocate. The daily-wear disposable contact lenses are by far the safest option for anyone who wears glasses or contacts.”
Other risky behavior by people who use contact lenses are storing the lens covers for an extended period of time beyond what is advised and not changing the solution in the case entirely, meaning they are not completely emptying the case before adding new solution.
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