Latest news with #RobertKinast
CNET
3 days ago
- Health
- CNET
How Often You Really Need to Replace Your Contact Lenses, and What Happens When They Expire
It's easy to take contact lenses for granted these days, especially in an age where laser correction surgery is widely available, but those transparent plastic discs you slip into each eye every morning are still a relatively new invention -- and still carry risks if you don't handle them correctly and replace them when needed. It wasn't until almost 1950 that the first modern plastic contact lens were introduced, and disposable contact lenses wouldn't hit the market until the '80s. As Dr. Robert Kinast puts it, "We think of contact lenses as being so normal, but 100 years ago, nobody walked around with little pieces of plastic over their eyes." Kinast, the vice chair of ophthalmology at Legacy Devers Eye Institute and co-founder of GentleDrop, says, "Contact lenses are foreign bodies and should be treated with respect." To that end, we talked with eye experts to learn how to care for contact lenses and when to replace them. How long do contacts last? The lifespan of your contact lenses depends on a few factors. Dr. Meenal Agarwal, optometrist and podcast host, explains, "Soft daily disposables are single-use, so you need to discard them after one day." At the other end of the spectrum, she says that "hard lenses can last one to two years with proper care." The most important rule, Agarwal says, is to always follow the replacement schedule recommended by your eye doctor. Soft lenses are the most commonly worn contact lenses, according to Dr. Jovi Boparai, ophthalmic surgeon and co-founder and CEO of CorneaCare. He explains that these lenses "range from daily disposables to weekly, biweekly or monthly." However, "Rigid gas permeable contact lenses can last much longer, ranging from months to a year." These lenses are made of hard plastic. While most contact lenses will last for the intended duration, some factors may shorten their lifespan. For instance, dust and smoke may cling to your lenses and make them unusable. If there is a wildfire in your area or a high allergen count and your lenses start to feel uncomfortable, you may want to toss them early. How to know if your contacts are expired The quickest way to gauge whether your contacts are expired is to look at the date on the box. Boarpai says that unopened contact lenses generally have a shelf life of one to four years from the date of manufacturing. Beyond reviewing the expiration date, you should pay attention to how your lenses look. According to Dr. Boparai, old lenses may show discoloration or damage. He also warns that expired contacts can develop deposits -- meaning a buildup of residue on the lenses. On the other hand, your contacts may still be expired, even if they look great. Agarwal warns, "The lenses may look the same as they did on the first day, but that doesn't mean they're still safe to use." In short, you should defer to the expiration date first, but also ditch your lenses if there is obvious damage or they become painful. Anna Gragert/CNET Expired contact lens symptoms It's easy to lose track of your lens-changing schedule when life gets busy. If that happens, your lenses may let you know they're expired before you even have a chance to track down the date on the box. "Wearing expired contacts can cause redness, pain or discomfort, irritation, blurry vision, excessive dryness and/or infections," Agarwal warns. You should take these symptoms as a red flag. The doctor advises, "If you experience any of these symptoms, remove the lenses and consult your eye doctor." According to Boparai, additional symptoms may include "burning, watery eyes, light sensitivity, discharge, foreign body sensation and eyelid swelling." Signs that your contacts are ready to be replaced It's worth noting that you won't always experience symptoms when your contacts are ready to be changed. Sticking to the appropriate schedule is vital, even if you think your contacts could last a few more weeks. As Agarwal explains, "Most of the time, you will not have any symptoms when your lenses are ready to be replaced." However, the doctor reiterates that if you've overworn contacts for a long time, you may notice vision problems, painful symptoms or "a torn or damaged lens and/or a buildup of deposits or debris on the lenses." This means it's definitely time to switch to a fresh pair. How often should I change my contact lenses? The simplest answer is to follow the recommended duration of use. Boparai reiterates that you should change lenses based on "the lifespan of the contact lenses as recommended by your eye doctor." You may also want to consider the length of time you're wearing your lenses per day. According to Optometrists Network, about half of all contact lens wearers don't comply with the wear schedule recommended by their doctors. This can lead to something called contact lens overwear syndrome, which occurs when your lenses obstruct your eyes' ability to absorb oxygen. Left untreated, you may experience bloodshot eyes, infection or a damaged cornea. Both doctors we spoke to insisted that you should never sleep in contacts unless it's recommended by a doctor. This may help prevent overwear syndrome and lower your risk of infections and ulcers. It also gives you an incentive to check your lenses each morning to make sure it's not time to change them to care for your contact lenses Proper care for your contacts not only helps maximize their lifetime but may also prevent eye infections. First and foremost, you should always handle your contact lenses with clean hands, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. The organization also recommends using a "rub and rinse" method each time you use your lenses. This means you should first rub your lens with clean fingers and then rinse it with a contact lens solution. Contact lenses carry an increased risk of eye inflammation and infection, Boparai says. He adds that proper contact lens hygiene includes rinsing the lenses for 10 to 20 seconds before wear and making sure you don't touch your cornea when adding or removing the lenses. Boparai also recommends changing your contact lens solution every day. Meenal emphasizes the importance of storing your lenses "in a clean case and replacing the case every three months." She warns that you should never use water or saliva to clean your contact lenses. How to prevent contact lens-related eye infections The most common eye infection associated with contact lenses is keratitis, which the Mayo Clinic describes as an inflammation of the cornea. And this infection happens a lot. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analyzed contact lens-related infections between 2005 and 2015 and determined that "keratitis from all causes, including contact lens wear, results in approximately 1 million clinic and emergency department visits annually." The AAO says that wearing extended-wear lenses, sleeping in your lenses and keeping a dirty lens case can all make you vulnerable to this type of infection. The Mayo Clinic warns that poor contact lens hygiene allows for the growth of bacteria, fungi and parasites that can infect your cornea. Agarwal adds to this advice, explaining that contact lens wearers should never share or reuse lenses. She also warns that you should "avoid wearing contacts in pools, hot tubs or the shower," removing your lenses at the first sign of discomfort. And don't use saliva to clean your lenses, as Boparai warns this makes you more vulnerable to infection. What about colored contacts and costume contacts? Cosmetic contacts, especially non-prescription costume lenses, are dangerous to your eyes and the American Academy of Ophthalmology warns against wearing any contact lenses not prescribed to you by a medical professional. In fact, it's against the law to sell contact lenses without a prescription in the United States because of the risk of eye infections or permanent eye damage from poorly fitting or poorly manufactured lenses, which can damage wearers' eyes. There are prescription cosmetic lenses on the market, mostly used to hide eye problems present from birth, but those need to be made specifically for the wearer's eyes, and they'll come with guidance from your eye doctor as to how long you should wear them and when they'll need replacing. When to contact an eye doctor if you wear contact lenses The AAO says that patients who are at low risk for ocular disease should get an eye exam at least every two years until the age of 64, unless their doctor recommends more frequent exams. After the age of 65, annual eye exams are the standard. However, even if you're not high risk, you should see your eye doctor "as soon as possible if you experience eye pain, persistent redness or swelling, intolerance or discomfort with your lenses, sudden blurry vision, unusual discharge, excessive tearing and/or sensitivity to light," Agarwal said, adding that you should remove your lenses and not wear them again until your doctor gives you the go-ahead. Vision changes also call for another visit to the eye doctor, says Boparai. He emphasizes that if you have uncomfortable symptoms or vision loss, "Your eye doctor will help guide management to keep your eyes comfortable and clear." The bottom line When in doubt, don't overwear your contact lenses. You should throw them out as soon as they expire, start to hurt your eyes or appear damaged. Wearing lenses improperly isn't just uncomfortable -- it can also lead to serious infections. Don't be afraid to call your eye doctor if something seems wrong.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Do blue-light glasses work?
These days it's nearly impossible not to spend hours a day staring at a screen. For many of us, it's an all-day affair as we move from work computers to social media scrolling to streaming back-to-back shows before we conk out and do it all over again the next day. With all this screen time potentially affecting our eyes and sleep, more and more people are turning to blue-light glasses as a potential solution. But do blue-light glasses actually work? And what is blue light anyway? Blue light is one part of the visible light spectrum that human eyes can detect. What makes it unique is that it has the shortest wavelength and highest energy of all visible light. While the sun is our primary source of blue light — accounting for about one-third of all visible light — we're now exposed to artificial blue light throughout our day from computer screens, LED televisions, smartphones, tablets and fluorescent lighting. While our screens emit significantly less blue light than the sun, the increasing amount of time we spend looking at them has raised concerns. According to Dr. Robert Kinast, CEO and vice chair of ophthalmology at the Legacy Devers Eye Institute, intense blue-light exposure, like staring at the sun, can be damaging to our eyes. Though it's still unclear whether daily exposure to artificial blue light from screens can do the same, the discomfort of digital eye strain is real. So are blue light glasses the answer? Let's find out. People swear these special lenses can help filter out or block harmful blue light, ease eye strain and discomfort and even help you sleep better. Some claim they protect your retina from damage, too. But what does the science say? Well, it's complicated. When researchers took a deep dive through the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and the results from studies that looked at blue light glasses' efficacy, they found that these specs aren't the miracle workers some make them out to be. In fact, they performed about the same as regular glasses when it came to offering eye strain relief. As for better sleep and visual acuity? No significant improvements were found, although the experts we spoke with think there may be some sleep-related benefits. Ultimately, though, current research is inconclusive and more studies need to be done. This is why the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) currently does not recommend blue-light glasses for computer or screen use. You may experience eye strain after driving for miles and miles or staring at a screen for too long. "Common symptoms include a gritty sensation in the eyes, blurred vision, dryness, pressure behind the eyes, aching and difficulty focusing on distant objects," says Angelina Popovic, an optometrist and vice president of medical and professional affairs at Shopko Optical. "In some cases, vision fluctuation may occur." Eye strain is one of the leading factors behind folks reaching for blue-light-blocking lenses. But do blue-light glasses help with eye strain? The answer, unfortunately, is probably not. Right now there's no evidence that blue-light exposure even causes eye strain. Instead, "digital eye strain typically occurs because we blink less when looking at screens, leading to dry eyes," says Kinast. "There's no quality scientific evidence showing blue-light glasses reduce digital eye strain." His recommendation? Take regular screen breaks and use artificial tears. That said, blue-light glasses might not be entirely useless either. "They're more effective at alleviating eye strain symptoms rather than preventing them, especially if worn during prolonged screen time," says Popovic. Feeling discouraged? Don't! If you're asking yourself, Do blue light glasses help you sleep better? Our experts say yes. Or at least they may offer some help in some situations for some people, depending on nighttime screen usage. "Most blue light comes from the sun," explains Kinast. "Daily sunshine helps regulate the body's circadian rhythm and sleep patterns." For millions of years, this natural light-dark cycle helped humans maintain healthy sleep patterns. That's why modern life causes problems: "Blue light from evening screens can simulate sun exposure, suppressing production of the sleep hormone melatonin, making it harder to fall asleep," says Kinast. "Blue-light glasses, however, are intended to prevent screens from suppressing melatonin production." "If you use screens extensively in the hours before bedtime, you may benefit from blue-light blocking glasses," explains Dr. Ashley Hayden, an ophthalmologist and co-founder of GentleDrop. She adds that "avoiding screens before bed generally can help." The truth is, blue-light glasses cannot negate all the negative effects of too much screen time. We already know that blue light doesn't cause eye strain, so it stands to reason that blue-light-blocking glasses likely won't significantly alleviate the issue. However, there's a good chance that blue-light-blocking lenses can help improve poor sleep related to evening blue-light exposure from screens. "If you're finding that your screen time is affecting your sleep, blue-light-blocking glasses or software that reduces blue light in the evening can be helpful," says Hayden. "It's also smart to try artificial tears for eye strain and take regular breaks from screens." "Follow the 20-20-20 rule," says Popovic. "That's when you look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes." She also recommends adjusting your screen's brightness, contrast and font size to make your screen easier on your eyes and more comfortable to use. You can also try adjusting the lighting in your space so your screen is neither too dim nor overly reflective. Read more: Learn more ways to prevent digital eye strain. To protect your sleep, try activating your devices' "nighttime mode" to reduce blue light emissions and power down all screens at least an hour before lights out. This helps regulate melatonin production. "And get natural blue-light exposure during the day," says Hayden. Research shows enjoying some bright daytime light — especially in the morning — can help you fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly at night. Just don't expect blue-light glasses and reduced screen time to solve all your eye issues. "If you're experiencing eye pain or changes in vision that last more than a few hours, it's time to see an eye doctor," says Hayden. Research suggests blue-light-blocking glasses can help improve sleep, though they're not a cure-all for eye strain and discomfort related to extensive screen time. The best approach combines several strategies: taking regular screen breaks, properly adjusting lighting and screen brightness and getting regular eye exams to test for underlying issues that might cause eye strain or poor sleep. As our experts emphasize, these practical steps, along with good sleep habits, offer the most comprehensive solution for both eye health and better rest. "Though some individuals may experience slight discomfort or visual distortion when first wearing them, there are no significant known risks or side effects to wearing blue-light glasses," says Popovic. While blue-light glasses can be purchased without a prescription, you may want to discuss adding blue-light protection to your prescription lenses at your next eye exam. Simple steps make a big difference: Limit screen time, take regular breaks and be mindful of your environment. This means adjusting your screen brightness to match the lighting in your room. These small changes can help reduce eye strain and make screen time more comfortable. It's best to discuss this question with your child's eye doctor, but remember, the AAO doesn't officially recommend blue-light glasses, given that there's no proven link between blue-light exposure and eye strain. Robert Kinast, MD, vice chair of ophthalmology at the Legacy Devers Eye Institute Angelina Popovic, OD, an optometrist and vice president of medical and professional affairs at Shopko Optical Ashley Hayden, MD, ophthalmologist and co-founder of GentleDrop
