How can contacts cause eye infections?

How can contact lenses cause eye infections?

Contact lens wear is by far the largest cause of serious eye infections called corneal ulcers. Contact lenses are made of materials that can trap bacteria, fungi, and other dangerous organisms, which then dig into the eye and infect it. There are a few precautions you can take to avoid these infections. First, never, ever for any reason rinse a soft contact with tap water or in your mouth! Water is not sterile and contains microorganisms that can cause devastating eye infections and be resistant to antibiotics. Use only contact lens solution to clean and store your contacts. Second, avoid sleeping in your contacts, even the ones that are approved for sleeping. A contact lens may become contaminated at any time, but underneath the eyelid at night the environment is warm and moist and perfect for bacteria to grow, so by morning a mildly contaminated lens can turn into a very serious eye infection that will be painful, expensive to treat, and could result in permanent vision loss. I want everybody who wants contacts to be able to wear them as long as they desire, so just follow a few simple rules and you can enjoy the wonderful invention that is contact lenses.

Sweet Visions,
Eric Stamper, O.D.
Visionary Eyecare Center, PLLC
http://www.visionary-eye.com/
100 Country Club Drive, Suite 106
Hendersonville, TN 37075