Disposable lenses have been around for quite some time and it seems like they are causing more problems than solutions. Most of them are made from Hydrogel, which is a water-absorbing polymer that uses water to transmit oxygen to the eye through the lens. These were even given the green flag by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be worn for days, but new research finds that users are misusing their contact lenses that is causing them a lot of problems.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention received reports of serious eye damage from misusing contact lenses; over the period of 10 years (2005-2015) the FDA received reports of 1,075 contact lens-related corneal infections that involved ulcers or keratitis, which is the inflammation of the cornea. About 20% of these cases involved serious eye damage, most of which could’ve been avoided if they used their contact lenses properly.
The most common contact lens abuse included wearing them for an extended period of time, followed by wearing contact lenses beyond their prescription, and occasional overnight wear or napping in lenses. Other patients also were using expired lenses, storing them in water or wearing them while swimming.
