Friday, March 29, 2024 | Ramadan 18, 1445 H
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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Beware of counterfeit contact lenses

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* The increase in the number of contact lens users in the last decade has led to a significant increase in the number of people with corneal infection


Many people who suffer from vision problems go for contact lenses rather than glasses because they -- besides allowing a more natural vision -- give a nicer look. These lenses are available in different colours and types at varying prices. They are now available everywhere outside pharmacies and approved optical shops, as people are buying them for cosmetic rather than medical reasons.


Doctors, however, have warned against poor quality lenses that are sold at cheap prices, as they cause damage and health problems to eyes, and may lead to blindness in some cases.


The components of inexpensive contact lenses cause severe redness in the eyes, pain and itching. Also, the cornea swells due to the buildup of water inside it as a result of allergies, which affects vision and causes a kind of discomfort.


The general public is ignorant of the harms of contact lenses and the ability of germs to enter the cornea and cause infection. This stems from the constant friction between the lens, which is a foreign object, and corneal epithelium, or the outer layer of the cornea, which loses the ability to form an effective barrier to prevent germs from entering it.


The increase in the number of contact lens users in the last decade has led to a significant increase in the number of people with corneal infection.


Besides, the conjunctival sac and eyelids are also important areas for the reproduction of germs that cause most corneal infections in people who use contact lenses.


As a result of improper lens care, and the fact that only a small number of people who use them maintain this, too many cases of infection appear in a large number of lens users.


Dr Talal al Busaidi, an ophthalmologist, specialized in cornea, laser operations and contact lenses (French Board), said one of his patients suffering from acute bacterial infection due to the use of poor quality colored cosmetic lenses, told him that she bought them from WhatsApp and Instagram merchant for five rials.


“Without consulting an ophthalmologist, without knowing the quality of the lenses and how to clean or use them, we cannot risk our eyes,” he said.


Many studies have shown that wearing inexpensive contact lenses does not pass enough oxygen to the eye to breathe, and they are more susceptible to germs and eye scratches.


At the same time, activists called for tightening control over shops, saying that lenses and glasses should only be sold in licensed eyewear shops. On the contrary, they are widely available in beauty centers and even luxury stores without accountability or supervision.


The prices of cheap cosmetic lenses in stores range from RO 4 to 10, while the value of original lenses are RO 20 and above, depending on the brand.


In order to avoid health problems that may affect the eyes, it is advised not to buy contact lenses except through the ophthalmologist, provided that they are a well-known and guaranteed brand, and not counterfeit. The patient must learn how to put on and take off the contact lens so as not to injure the eye. Personal hygiene and washing hands well before holding the lens so that microbes do not transfer to them. Also, if the lens remains in the solution for a long time, it must be reassured that it is clean and that no deposits have formed on it.


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