14 DAY TRIAL // A report issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this November 14 says that, each and every year, almost 1 million people living in the US require medical attention after developing an eye infection known as microbial keratitis.
What's worrying is that, according to medical records compiled and studied by CDC researchers, most of the folks who get such an eye infection do so because they fail to use contact lenses safely.
The report on eye infections in the US
The CDC report says that, in the year 2010 alone, as many as 930,000 people had to pay their eye doctor a visit and be prescribed medication after developing microbial keratitis. Another 58,000 had to visit an emergency room after the infection got too bad to handle.
True, these nearly 1 million cases of microbial keratitis documented in the US in 2010 were not all caused by contact lenses. However, the CDC says that improper use of such medical devices was by far the most common cause of eye infections.
Of the hundreds of thousands of people who needed medical help after developing microbial keratitis, 76.5% had to be prescribed antibiotics. The direct health care costs associated with treating these folks amounted to $175 million (€140 million).
What the heck is microbial keratitis anyway?
As mentioned, microbial keratitis is a type of eye infection. Specifically, it is an infection of the transparent outer covering of the eye. It is caused not just by bacteria and fungi, but also by different amoebas and viruses.
The symptoms associated with this condition include eye pain, blurred vision and eye redness. Should one such infection fail to respond to treatment and get out of hand, people can even go blind because of it, CDC specialists explain.
In fact, it was earlier this year that doctors in Taiwan announced that, after developing a serious eye infection, a 23-year-old woman ended up losing her eyesight. More precisely, word has it that the woman went blind after a microscopic bug ate away at her eyeballs.
What go contact lenses have to do with anything?
CDC experts say that, if not worn properly and cleaned on a regular basis, contact lenses provide the perfect environment for bacteria, fungi, amoebas or viruses to set up camp and thrive in. Simply put, contact lenses make a perfect home for microorganisms that can leave people blind.
Specialists say that people who choose to wear contact lenses instead of regular glasses must always remove them before going to bed and before taking a shower or going for a swim. Besides, they must always wash their hands before handling them.
Once removed, contact lenses must be cleaned using a disinfecting solution. When not used, they should be kept in a special case containing disinfecting solution. This case should be replaced at least once every three months.
