1-800 Contacts Recommends Avoiding Water Exposure with Lenses

DRAPER, Utah, Aug. 26, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, in continued recognition of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Contact Lens Health Week, 1-800 Contacts advises contact lens wearers to avoid water exposure when wearing contact lenses.  The CDC has found that the majority of contact lens wearers are frequently exposing their lenses to water which increases the risk of infection. 

Contact lenses are like tiny sponges that absorb anything they are exposed to. When a contact lens comes into contact with water, the water is absorbed into the lens and is trapped against the eye, allowing the microbes in the water to attack the surface of the eye. The eye's normal defense system is to blink away these microbes as our tears help to flush them out. With a contact lens on the eye, the bugs can hide under the contact lens, protected from our blinking and tears.

Aside from the risk of infection, exposure to water and the chemicals in it can cause other contact lens related issues. Water will cause the contact lens to swell, making it less comfortable on the eye. Water can wash away the normal tear film and its natural lubricating properties, which can make your eyes feel drier. The chemicals in swimming pools and hot tubs, particularly chlorine, can cause the conjunctival tissue of your eye to get red, swollen and inflamed. Salt from salt water pools and the ocean can also irritate the eye surface. There is also a risk of losing your contact lenses when swimming or showering if the water flushes them out.

1-800 Contacts recommends always removing your contact lenses before swimming, playing in the water or showering.

About 1-800 CONTACTS

1-800 CONTACTS, Inc. is the largest retailer of contact lenses in the United States, and is dedicated to making it easier for consumers to purchase contact lenses. 1-800 CONTACTS offers all of the most popular brands of contact lenses at competitive prices while delivering exceptional customer service. The company has served more than 8 million customers, stocks more than 15 million contact lenses, and delivers more than 200,000 contact lenses every day directly to customers. Through its award-winning website, www.1800contacts.com, and its easy-to-remember, toll-free telephone number "1-800 CONTACTS" (1-800-266-8228), the company ships an industry leading 98 percent of its orders within one business day of receipt and verification of prescriptions.

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SOURCE 1-800 Contacts

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