Have you ever forgotten to remove your contact lenses after a long day, or just couldn’t be bothered? Maybe you wake to a blur first thing in the morning. You don’t have to experience these hassles anymore.
For the more than 20 million Canadians who need vision correction, a new option in contact lenses may ease their eye care angst. Bausch & Lomb recently launched PureVision contact lenses — and these lenses can be worn for 24 hours a day, for 30 continuous days.
Traditional contact lens care
“There’s nothing worse than coming home late at night, taking out the contact lenses, cleaning them and having to put them back in, in the morning,” says Dr. Lyndon Jones, associate professor at the school of optometry and associate director of the Centre for Contact Lens Research at the University of Waterloo in Ontario. “Sixty to 70 per cent of people who use reusable lenses cheat at some time. And they run a greater risk of eye irritation.”
Keeping your peepers moist
Traditional contact lenses cannot be worn continuously as the material prevents eyes from getting enough oxygen, an element that is needed to keep eyes moist. While other body tissues receive oxygen via blood vessels, the corneas’ only source is the atmosphere, explains Jones.
The PureVision lenses can be worn for so long because they are made of silicone-hydrogel, a material that allows four to six times more oxygen to get through. Jones predicts that the PureVision lenses, approved by Health Canada for 30 nights of continuous wear, will make currently-used contact lenses obsolete in less than 10 years.
Carefully observing the 30-day mark
However, even with the oxygen-permeable material, it’s important to remove the PureVision lenses after 30 days. “The tear fluid is very complex,” says Jones. “Oils deposit in the lenses and they become greasy and grotty.” This can then lead to sore, red or uncomfortable eyes. Jones suggests inserting new lenses on the first of the month, or some other memorable date, as a clear reminder of when one month has passed.
To discuss your eye-care options, contact your optometrist. For more information on PureVision contact lenses, visit
