Is wearing colored contact lenses harmful to the eyes?
Disease description:
I really love wearing colored contact lenses for taking photos. Recently, I've been feeling like my eyes are dry and itchy, and there's always redness. Could wearing them too often be harming my eyes? Could it affect my vision?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Wang Shuai
In general, wearing colored contact lenses (commonly known as "circle lenses") may cause a certain degree of harm to the eyes.
Colored contact lenses have relatively poor oxygen permeability and breathability. Prolonged wear can hinder oxygen from reaching the eyes, leading to corneal hypoxia, which may subsequently trigger eye conditions such as keratitis and conjunctivitis. Additionally, colored contact lenses may interfere with the even distribution of tears across the eye surface, causing symptoms of dry eye syndrome, such as dryness, foreign body sensation, and blurred vision.
Moreover, inadequate cleaning and disinfection of the colored lenses, or unhygienic hand practices during lens handling, may lead to eye infections such as conjunctivitis and keratitis. These infections can not only cause eye pain, redness, and vision loss, but may also result in long-term damage to the eyes. When wearing colored contact lenses, it is essential to strictly follow the manufacturer's instructions for insertion and cleaning in order to prevent eye infections.
It is recommended that when choosing colored contact lenses, priority should be given to product safety and comfort. Regular eye examinations at professional ophthalmic institutions are advised, along with adherence to proper wearing and care guidelines, to minimize potential harm to the eyes.
