“Using contact lenses is a matter of choice. It’s like opting to color your hair,” says Neha Singh, 22, who has been using colored contact lenses for the past five years. She has no problem with her vision, but she prefers wearing lenses as it holds an important fashion significance in her friend circle.
Dr. Asik Pradhan, optometrist at Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology, says that the number of people opting for contacts for purely cosmetic purpose is very less in Nepal as compared to other countries. However, he mentions that the number of females opting for colored lenses in Nepal is certainly high.
Generally, people who use contact lenses for vision correction prefer transparent lenses.[break]
But, colored lenses are readily available in many optical stores in the capital. Some cosmetic stores also sell colored lenses. But Dr Pradhan suggests that people should use lenses only after a consultation with an optometrist.
“When people are looking forward to using colored lenses for solely cosmetic purpose, they tend to ignore consultation with an expert, and that can have a long term damaging effect on their eyes,” he says.
The experts check on various parameters to ensure safety while using any kind of contact lenses. Lubrication of the eye, nature of work and past history of eye strain are some of the factors that need to be considered before using contact lenses. It will be helpful in determining whether a person can adjust to the artificial lenses or not.
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“If we observe any complexity, we suggest certain eye drops, usage of more oxygen permeable lenses or usage of lenses for a restricted time according to the nature of complexity,” says Dr Pradhan.
If the lenses are used without proper care, they can cause irritation and infection and result in damage to the eyes.
Anushree KC, 23, started wearing lenses instead of glasses some four years back. She started using colored lens two years ago and it has been a year that she’s been suffering from frequent infections.
Dr Pradhan says that one should be very careful about wearing lenses. “Despite the general belief that usage of contact lenses can have many side-effects, it is actually very safe. Everything carries benefits and drawbacks and the latter can be weighed down if you are cautious,” he says.
There are different types of lenses which can be bought according to one’s purpose. Some of the types that are available in Nepal are; daily disposable lenses, which are to be discarded after a single day of wear; disposable lenses, that are to be discarded every two weeks, or sooner; frequent replacement lenses, which lasts a month; and traditional reusable lenses, that lasts for six months or longer.
But for all types of lenses, hygiene is a must. Apart from cleaning the contact lenses with water and disinfectant, it is recommended to wash eyes with clean running water for approximately 15 minutes after removing contact lenses. Applying dirty lenses can result in dirt accumulation in the eyes and that can lead to complications.
If you are ready to comply with some basic precautions such as keeping away from chemical fumes while wearing lenses, take them off while swimming or sleeping and using protective covering like sunglasses while going out, you can go ahead and add color to your eyes.
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