I was doing my online window shopping routine when I chanced on this multiply account selling stuff. it caught my attention precisely because they were selling colored contact lenses for a price that is much much less than in optical stores. A fan of colored (but graded) Freshlook contact lenses myself, I couldn’t help but be enticed by the ad. Then it caught my eye: one prospective buyer asked if the contact lenses could be used for up to a year. The seller said yes. Que horror! From the point of view of a medical student, that’s calling for trouble.
Contact lenses, especially the soft ones come in different lengths of time that one can wear them safely. Back in the days when I still have to discover the huge difference a colored contact lens can make to one’s looks, I used to buy the extended ones – a pair that can last for a year or two. That was a huge mistake because they weren’t only more expensive, but they also didn’t prove to last me that long since I always end up tearing them apart. Since I realized what a silly investment it was, I started buying the ones that are common today: those that come in a box which are good for one month each pair. The thing is, you have to change contact lenses after using them for 30 days. The colored ones I’m using can be worn for 3 months max. Whatever type you’re wearing, colored or not, the premise is this: use them only until the box says it’s good to do so. Don’t use them longer than prescribed. A lot of people have this notion that if it’s not being used as frequently, then the lenses can last for up to a year. It’s a big no-no and as I said, you’re calling for trouble.
You see, contact lenses in the long run can harbor bacteria which may cause conjunctivitis. In worse case scenarios, you not only get bacterial conjunctivitis, but develop fungal keratitis – a condition whose symptoms usually manifests after a few months have passed. Fungal keratitis is a lot harder to treat than bacterial keratitis and it may even cause the patient a lot of eye and visual discomfort. Usually, patients with fungal keratitis develop photophobia or light sensitivity, aside from having this weird (usually) whitish and furry-looking thing growing on the conjunctiva of your eye. Fungal keratitis are also contracted when the conjunctiva of the eye is scratched by an object that has had contact with the soil. In a tropical country like the Philippines, getting an object contaminated with fungus is a no-brainer. Fungi bask and grow in the warmth of the climate. Although fungal keratitis can be treated and is not really life-threatening, treatment can take from months to years before finally eradicating the offending fungi – quite troublesome really.
So the next time you think of being a scrooge and storing that contact lens in your dresser for a year, think of all the expense and all the time you have to consume treating that fungal growth on your eyes. Probably saving up a few hundred bucks is good for now, but in the long run, would you really rather spend more for treatments? Keep in mind the age-old adage: Prevention is better than cure. 
Don’t risk your eyesight.
As of 5 pm of August 19, 2009, I’m tipping the scales at 96 lbs. Yep. 4 lbs shy of being within the normal BMI limit. My friends envy me because I don’t need weight loss supplements or the best diet pills around to keep thin. What they don’t realize is that I’m actually struggling to gain weight. I’m actually surprised at how I’m still able to keep myself from losing more pounds now that I’m in the land of retractors and sterile drapes aka “The Operating Room” (I’m rotating now in Surgery you see). The Surgery rotation is very notorious for making poor clerks like me thinner by a few pounds. Two weeks after my rotation, I’ve just lost 2 pounds and that’s already a feat since I know of a lot of clerks who lost more.
