Contact lens is very influential to support the appearance as well as to support the sight, but be aware with the expiration of the contact lens itself. Because using an expired one may harm your eyes.

Contact directly with the eyes, contact lens should be used carefully, because the contact lens is not a common cosmetic device. Therefore, its usage and storage must be noticed well.

The contact lens should be placed in an airtight case and in a sterile saline solution. The function of the airtight case itself is to keep away the contact lenses from being contaminated with air that might contain dust, germs or other small particles. Meanwhile, the function of the solution is to keep the contact lens hydrated so it won’t dry. Because using dry contact lens may make your eyes hurt or irritation.

Usually, there will be an expiry date listed on each contact lens packaging. It is intended to maintain the safety of using contact lens. The expiration date itself is a safe limit to use contact lens, so it won’t harm the eyes.

Why is there an expiration date for contact lenses? Although contact lenses are stored in good condition, long storage may make sterile saline solution contaminated and damage contact lenses. To prevent that happens, any contact lenses must have an expiration date.

From being produced and packaged, usually the expiry time of contact lens is after a year and the longest one is 4 years. The expiration date on contact lens is usually listed in the month and year format.

What happens when using expired contact lenses?

Expired contact lenses allow bacterial and fungal contamination in a sterile saline solution. This makes the contact lenses is coated with a variety of dust or other small particles. As a result, contact lenses become uncomfortable and worse it can cause eye infections.

A study published by The South African Optometrist in 2008 found that expired contact lenses got contaminated. The study was reinforced by research from the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Optometric Association. This research says that expired contact lenses become more acidic or more alkaline. This occurs because of ph changes in sterile saline solution. As a result, contact lenses are not comfortable when used and can cause eye irritation and eye damage.

(source: hellosehat.com)