Optimal contact lens behaviors unchanged, including hand washing, drying before application, removal
MONDAY, April 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) — In an article published online April 3 in Contact Lens and Anterior Eye, important considerations are presented for contact lens (CL) wearers in the setting of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lyndon Jones, Ph.D., from the Centre for Ocular Research & Education at the University of Waterloo in Canada, and colleagues offer accurate eye health guidance for practitioners to assist patients in the setting of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The researchers note that there is currently no evidence to suggest that the risk for contracting COVID-19 is increased through CL wear versus spectacle wear. CL wearers should be reminded of the steps to follow to minimize complication risk and reduce their need to seek care. To minimize the impact on the wider health care service, management of adverse events should be retained within the optometric systems if possible. Optimal CL care behaviors are unchanged from those under normal circumstances and include hand washing and drying before CL application and removal. For reusable CLs, daily cleaning and correct case care should be followed, and CL exposure to water should be avoided. Practitioners should consider advising patients to reduce or eliminate sleeping in their CLs or consider the option of use of daily disposable lenses. Patients should avoid touching their face with unwashed hands, and if they are unwell, they should avoid CL wear.
“A focus on fully compliant CL wear and especially on the modifiable risk factors associated with CL complications are especially important during the height of the pandemic,” the authors write.
Several authors disclosed financial ties to the pharmaceutical and medical device industries.
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