Showering with your contact lenses in could lead to serious vision problems

contact lenses oakville

You wake up in the morning to your alarm sounding off; you sit up, put your contact lenses in, and then get up and get in the shower to start your day. But did you know that this exact process could be leading you towards a very serious eye infection, and you wouldn’t even know it? As humans, we have only got two eyes, and taking care of our eyes with proper hygiene is a very important and crucial thing from the time we wake up to the time we go to sleep each day. A corneal ulcer is an infection that can occur from water while wearing contact lenses and the infection eats its way into the cornea; which is a worst case scenario. A corneal infection can occur while wearing contacts in lake water, chlorinated pool water, or even tap water, and avoiding water of all kinds while wearing contact lenses is probably a good practice to perform. Water is never good for contact lenses, and if your contact lenses ever come in contact with water, you should take them out, clean them and disinfect them immediately to avoid the risk of getting a harmful eye infection.

Microbial Keratitis Infection:

The infection is known as microbial keratitis, and it can lead to permanent vision loss. The main concern with this disease is that if the bacteria or micro-organism eats all the way through the cornea where the cornea if perforated, then the bacteria can enter the eyeball, and that is how vision loss can occur. If you wear contact lenses, it is essential that you keep them out of water sources of all kinds, and vigilantly clean and disinfect them to avoid contaminants getting into your eye.

Signs and Symptoms of Microbial Keratitis Symptoms:

  • Eye redness
  • Eye pain
  • Excess tears or other discharge from your eye
  • Difficulty opening your eyelid because of pain or irritation
  • Blurred vision
  • Decreased vision
  • Sensitivity to light
  • A feeling that something is in your eye

If you frequently wear your contacts in the shower or in other bodies of water and you have begun to experience these symptoms, it is important that you seek a doctor immediately to ensure that you avoid serious eye damage. If you would like more tips and tricks about eye health and contact lenses, or about products and services offered at Invision Optical, please feel free to continue browsing through our website, or you can contact us via phone at 905-842-9444 or by email at info@invisionoptical.ca

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At Invision Eye Clinic we recommend that every adult from the age of 19 to 65 have a comprehensive eye exam every year. As we get older, there is a higher chance to develop ocular conditions such as cataracts,  glaucoma, and macular degeneration. For this reason, an annual eye exam is all the more important for adults over the age of 65. An annual eye exam is also recommended for anyone with a systemic condition like diabetes or multiple sclerosis where there can be a significant impact on vision and ocular health.

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At Invision Eye Clinic we recommend children have their first eye exam by the age of 3, and then yearly thereafter. With every child, we strive to support them with their visual development and help them meet the visual demands of the world around them.

During your child’s eye exam, our doctors will assess them for near-sightedness (myopia), far-sightedness (hyperopia), an eye turn (strabismus), lazy eye (amblyopia) and other ocular pathologies. We will also assess your child’s eye movement (tracking) skills, and the coordination of their eyes while they are performing visual tasks.

It is important to remember that your child does not need to be able to read or to identify letters to have an eye examination. Our tests are designed for all ages and provide vital information about your child’s eye health.

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Dry eyes can show up in various different forms; red eyes, watery eyes, itchy eyes, tired or uncomfortable vision. When the delicate balance of tears on the eye is unbalanced, a cascade of these symptoms can present. Crustiness around the eyes in the morning and chronic styes can also be traced back to a dry eye problem. The impact of our habits and environment cannot be overlooked. Our habits, environment and changes in season can all play a role in severity of our symptoms.

At Invision Eye Clinic, each exam includes an evaluation to not only identify potential dry eye, but to also investigate the possible causes and factors that have contributed to it.

For patients who are suffering from more advanced cases of dry eye, we offer in depth dry eye testing that investigates the root causes of the disease. We can develop a treatment plan that will involve both the management of symptoms and a preventative maintenance protocol.

Diabetes

Diabetes is a disease affecting how the body uses or produces insulin, a hormone that controls blood glucose (sugar) levels. Those suffering from diabetes are at risk of developing various other health issues, including impacts to their vision and eye health.

At our clinic, we implement the latest OCT technology to monitor and assess the impact of diabetes in the eye so that vision can be kept at optimal levels. Our diabetic eye exams not only include digital retinal imaging to look for diabetic changes, but also an internal sub-surface scan to create a detailed map of the eye. When required, our doctors can also use OCT angiography to map out individual blood vessels in the eye to look for even the earliest signs of damage from diabetes.

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Glaucoma is a slow progressing disease and can often go unnoticed without regular testing. It involves an increase in eye pressure that can slowly damage the optic nerve inside the eye, causing vision loss. If left undiagnosed and untreated, it can easily lead to blindness.

At our clinic, we screen each and every patient with an OCT scan of their optic nerve to assess the risks of glaucoma. For patients who are at risk or who are diagnosed with glaucoma, comprehensive eye exams and visual field tests are crucial alongside more detailed OCT scans.

Glaucoma can be a confusing and stressful disease for patients. At our clinic, our doctors take the time to perform the necessary tests and discuss all the treatment options with our patients.

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At Invision Eye Clinic attention to detail is the key feature in dispensing personalized eyewear suited to your visual needs. Prior to dispensing, each order is inspected by our opticians to ensure accuracy & quality.

From Hand Made Boutique Eyewear to big names in the fashion industry, we carry a wide variety of colours and styles to fit every age group and taste. We make sure that our inventory is fresh and current throughout the year.

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At Invision Eye Clinic our doctors can help you find the contact lenses that right for your eyes. Whether you have an active lifestyle, don’t like the look or feel of glasses, or just want something part time for social occasions, our optometrists are here to help.

First time contact lens wearer? Worried if contacts are the right solution for you? Rest assured, at Invision Eye Clinic, we take the time to perform an individual trial fit of each contact lens to make sure we have the right lens for each patient. We have a wide selection of contact lens brands and styles, and are confident that we can meet your visual needs.

Our Technology

At Invision Eye Clinic, we strive to provide the highest level of eye care. To help us achieve this goal, we have invested in state-of-the-art technology. Our integrated electronic medical records enable you to book your appointments online and have your third-party medical insurance submitted electronically at the time of your visit. All our patient records are stored using encrypted security measures and in compliance to the privacy policies within the health industry.

Our OCT retinal imaging camera takes a detailed scan of your retina allowing for early detection of many retinal diseases. Retinal imaging also allows for making close comparisons and watching for trend patterns between scans so that changes in the eyes can be monitored over time. The OCT has enabled eye care professionals to detect and monitor the subtle changes that can occur in diabetic retinopathy, hypertensive retinopathy, macular degeneration, glaucoma, retinal toxicity, and multiple sclerosis.

Visual field testing is done at our clinic through the world of virtual reality. With our portable VR headset, we are able to accurately and quickly perform all types of visual field tests. Alongside this, the wearable technology also allows us to perform screenings, colour vision, and pupillometry measurements right in the headset.