Contact lenses are a small, thin, and flexible lenses placed directly on the surface of the eyes. The purpose is to correct eye vision. Base curve of the lenses are adjusted to the cornea shape to help the focal length of the light brought to the retina precisely. 

Please be aware! Without the right eye exam and procedure, contact lenses may harm your vision. Using contact lenses or soft lenses may increase confidence for eye glases wearer, especially the ones that need thick glasses. And for people with normal eye sight, especially teenagers, color lenses can make them look more stylish and fashionable.

But did you know that using soft lenses without the proper eye exam and under supervision of ophthalmologist can be life threatening? 

Dr Tri Rahayu, SpM, FIACLE, found many cases of the side effect on wearing contact lenses without the proper eye exam for the patients before.  "I've found many cases where minor side effects occurred like redness from common irritation to major infection of the cornea or keratitits. If the patien can be cured from the infection, there are still a possibility the disease will leave a mark on the cornea. Like scar tissue or white spots on the cornea, while our cornea should be clear.” said Dr. Tri

When the infection becomes severe, and the virus or pathogen grow robustly, the cornea will not be able to be totally cured and threaten to blindness.  “There’s a case where we have to pick the patient’s eye,  when the infection have spread to the inner eyeball which called Endophthalmitis , to save the patient’s life, because an infection inside an eyeball may spread to the head cavity and brain” explain Dr Tri Rahayu, SpM, FIACLE

She also added about the allergic reaction can be triggered by years of contact lens use. The symptoms of the allergic can be small lumps behind the eye lid or light papillary conjunctivitis to giant papillary conjunctivitis in the advanced stage where the lump growth bigger. This allergic reaction will  scratch the cornea every time the eye blinked, which will make wounded eye. 

These cases appears because of the conventional contact lens material itself, which is still low in oxygen conductivity. The low conductivity combined with usage in long period will resulted in oxygen deficiency and lesser resistance to germs. This will harm the cornea and increases the risk for infection.

“Even the discipline use of contact lens may make eyes dry, an overwear may worsened the situation” When the symptoms of contact lens overwear emerge, Dr. Tri say the first thing to do is to remove the contact lens and visit the doctor. Ophthalmologist then will decide procedures to undergo to cured the eye and restoring it function to normal.

Education and prevention are very important to avoid the adverse reaction of contact lens use. By consulting an ophthalmologist before wearing a contact lens, it’ll reduce the risk significantly and will make the wearer safer and more comfortable.

A regular check up, once in six month are advised, so doctors can help when the symptoms of oxygen deficiency arise in early stage. JEC @ Kedoya or JEC @ Menteng have a comprehensive facility for contact lens. From early observation, eye health check up, consultation, examination of early detection for compalication, and also a wide range of lens variety according to the patient’s need.