TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Replacing eyeglasses with contact lenses may allow you clear vision without having to wear eyeglasses. But contact lenses need extra maintenance and care. Moreover, misusing contact lenses can result in eye infection.

A research in 2015 show that 99 percent of contact lenses users are guilty if risky behaviors causing severe eye infection.

Listed below are 5 mistakes that can damage your eyes.

1. Sleeping in your contact lenses

Sleeping in your contact lenses can cause dry eyes and blurry vision. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) based in the United States found that 25 percent of eye infection are due to modifiable risk factors, including occasionally sleeping in contacts or wearing them for long periods of time.

2. Showering or swimming while wearing contact lenses

Swimming or taking a bath while wearing contacts may seem normal even though they can cause eye irritation. A research in 2009 finds that contact lenses can absorb water and increase the number of micro-organism contained in tap water that can cause deformation of contact lenses. Tap water that contains microorganism Acanthamoeba can cause an extremely painful infection and potentially lead to blindness.

3. Using tap water to clean contact lenses

Using tap water to clean your contacts can lead to eye irritation. Acanthamoeba in tap water can make your cornea susceptible to getting inflamed, or scarred, which can impair vision. It also applies to filtered water because bacteria can grow in the tap and contaminate water used to clean contact lenses.

4. Using contacts beyond the expiry date

Expired contact lenses will attract germs and the build-up of solution, proteins, and other residues. It can make contacts uncomfortable to use and cause infection. The American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Optometric Association have confirmed that solutions can turn contact lenses more acidic and more alkaline. With an unstable pH, it can lead to extreme discomfort, irritation and possibly eye damage.

5. Not replacing your contact lenses case

Contact lenses case must be cleaned thoroughly with solution on a daily basis and replaced with a new one every three months, according to the American Optometric Association. Using an old case can lead to germs growing on the case and the lenses themselves. A study conducted in 2012 published by Ophthalmology shows that the risk of eye infection is 6.4 times higher in those who do not clean their contact lenses case properly and 5.4 times higher in those who rarely replace their case. The best advice is to replace contact lenses cases as recommended.

DWI NUR SANTI