During the summer vacation season, when people are engaged in water activities, there is an increase in patients with eye diseases like conjunctivitis. This is due to the prevalence of virus transmission in hot and humid environments, alongside the increased likelihood of virus contact from swimming pools and outdoor activities.
On the 14th, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety provided guidance on how to properly use contact lenses and contact lens care products to prevent eye diseases during the vacation season.
When contact lenses come into contact with swimming pool water, tap water, or seawater, the risk of infection from bacteria and fungi increases, so it is advisable not to wear contact lenses while swimming. If they must be worn, goggles should be tightly secured to prevent water from leaking in.
After swimming, it is essential to replace contact lenses with new ones, and if any discomfort, redness, or pain occurs, immediately remove the lenses and seek care from an ophthalmologist.
To use contact lenses safely, it's important to first wash your hands thoroughly and to make a habit of checking for any impurities on the lens surface. Lenses should not be worn for longer than the recommended time to ensure adequate oxygen supply to the cornea. Lenses that have been worn by someone else can carry a risk of bacterial infection, so they should not be shared.
After use, lenses should be cleaned and disinfected with 'contact lens care products' that are approved or reported as quasi-drugs by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, and then stored in a case with preservation solution.
Preservation solution should only be used for cleaning, rinsing, disinfecting, and preserving contact lenses, and should not be used directly in the eye or for washing inside the nose.
'Soft lenses', which are hydrophilic materials that bond well with water, tend to adsorb protein, so a special cleaning solution containing proteolytic enzymes or negatively charged salts should be used. 'Hard lenses', which are hydrophobic materials that do not bond with water, tend to adsorb lipids, so a specialized cleaning solution with a relatively high content of surfactants should be used.
An official from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety noted, "When purchasing contact lenses and contact lens care products, it is essential to verify that they are approved products of 'medical devices' or 'quasi-drugs' by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety."