The findings of two online surveys really raise doubts about the complaince of soft lens contact lens wearers. The independent, sponsor-masked (Vistakon) surveys asked 645 frequent replacement contact lens wearers about lens replacement frequency and the second asked 787 frequent replacement CL wearers questions on disinfection, hygiene and case replacement. Almost half of respondents admitted to not having washed their hands with soap prior to lens inserion in the morning (44 %) and removal in the evening (49%). While 75% reported emptying their solution from the lens case in the morning, only 46% reported filling their case with fresh solution, with the authors pointing out that this behaviour was a significant factor in the 2005 Fusarium outbreak. Almost half (48%) replace their storage case annually or less often. Co-author of the report, to be published in Contact Lens & Anterior Eye, Sheila Hickson-Curran said: 'Each step of non-compliance that results in no ill effects only reinforces poor behaviour because nothing bad happens.' So to summarise, patients could really be storing up the likelihood of a major complication with this sort of behaviour. Read more here: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/225065.php
Opinion