It can be stressful, during the pandemic, to figure out how to stay healthy. But experts say that with all of the health concerns you’re facing, it’s still important to prioritize your eyes.
Luckily, with a few simple steps, it’s easy to take care of your eyes as part of protecting your overall health during COVID-19.
One of the best ways to maintain good eye health for overall health is to get a comprehensive eye exam. Sight is our most valued sense, but only 1 in 100 people understand the importance of eye exams, according to a study.
After the eye exam, if you are prescribed a contact lens, it’s important to practice proper contact lens wear, said Dr. Bryan Stam, a local optometrist and owner of Stam & Associates Eye Care. And with Contact Lens Health Week coming up Aug. 17-21, Stam offered the following tips for contact lens wearers to stay safe and comfortable.
1.) Switch to daily disposables.
“My colleagues and I often recommend daily disposables over longer-wear lenses, but now we’re having even more conversations with patients about switching,” Stam said.
He explained that people who wear daily disposable lenses tend to have fewer adverse events. They’re using a new contact lens every time, and reducing the amount of maintenance they need to do to stay healthy and safe. “For anyone who has considered using a daily disposable, now is the time,” Stam said.
2.) Work with your doctor to get comfortable contact lenses.
It’s important to keep from touching your eyes during COVID-19, but that’s hard to do if you’re wearing uncomfortable contact lenses. In fact, studies show that 89% of contact lens patients say they rub their eyes, use drops or manually adjust their lenses when they’re uncomfortable, according to a recent study of more than 1,500 contact lens patients in the United States.
Keeping people in comfortable lenses reduces this behavior, and along with it, the wearer’s exposure to germs.
“Not all contact lenses are created equal,” Stam said. “Some are more comfortable than others and, in this case, we’re seeing how comfort goes a long way toward helping maintain good health.”
3.) Take care of your contacts.
Proper contact lens care is more important now than ever. “Though actions such as keeping your case clean may seem small, they can go a long way toward protecting eye health,” Stam said.
Cleaning cases, he adds, prevents harmful bacteria from getting into the eyes and potentially causing an infection. Other steps he says are critical include:
- Choosing a contact lens solution that won’t dry out your eyes;
- Refraining from sleeping or swimming in lenses;
- Cleaning lenses properly; and, of course
- Washing your hands frequently.
The team behind the ACUVUE® brand of contact lenses is so confident that you’ll love the comfort that their lenses provide, that if you’re not 100% satisfied within 90 days, they promise your money back – no questions asked. Go to ACUVUE.com to learn more.