Do You See Eye To Eye With Your Eye Doctor?
(NAPSI)-When it comes to taking care of your eyes, proper lens care is of utmost importance for contact lens wearers.
The Elevate Your Eye (EYE) Care global education campaign is designed to educate contact lens wearers about proper lens cleaning and disinfecting techniques in order to maximize the benefits of contact lenses while minimizing the likelihood of infection. Young people are a target of the effort because a large portion of all contact lens wearers are between the ages of 18 and 24.
Dr. Robert Ryan of Visionary Eye Associates in Brighton and Webster says he sees many patients who think their contact lenses are just beauty products or fashion accessories. He stresses that it's important to understand contact lenses are actually medical devices and should be treated with the same respect as any prescription drug. He adds that doctors must stay vigilant and quiz patients at every visit about what care solutions they are using and how they’re being utilized. Patients often buy the wrong solution or do not follow the package instructions correctly. Either can result in dirty lenses and eye infections.
The campaign was launched in response to concerns that contact lens wearers may not be practicing healthy lens care habits. In fact, a recent national survey by the Contact Lens Council (CLC), a nonprofit organization and resource on vision correction, found that more than 11 million of the 35 million contact lens wearers in the U.S. are not practicing proper contact lens care techniques and are putting themselves at daily risk for eye infections. Additionally, the survey found:
• Although more than 90 percent of eye care professionals (ECPs) recommended rubbing contact lenses as part of their lens-cleaning regimen, only two-thirds of patients do so, regardless of the type of solution that they use.
• More than 44 percent of contact lens wearers always or occasionally "top off" their contact lens case with new solution rather than emptying and cleaning it out after each use-a practice strongly discouraged by ECPs.
• Less than half (46 percent) of the respondents clean their lens case after each use despite the fact that the majority of ECPs (71 percent) recommend patients clean their case after each use.
• The majority of ECPs (70 percent) state that the main barrier to compliance is that the patient believes that it is not important.
• Nearly half (49 percent) of contact lens wearers wear their contacts longer than the recommended replacement schedule.
• Nearly one in five wears the contact lenses more than a month longer than the recommended replacement schedule.
“This survey underscores the significant disconnect between some eye care professionals and their patients when it comes to safe and effective contact lens care," said Dr. Ryan.
For additional information on contact lenses visit www.visionaryeye.net or the EYE Care campaign at www.yourhealthyeyes.com. to download information on recommended steps for proper lens care and information.
Visionary Eye Associates
169 Rue de Ville
Rochester
271-2990
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