What Infections Are Caused By Dirty Eyeglasses?
Did you know that dirty glasses could be making you sick? At the very least, they're leaving you vulnerable to some serious eye infections that can lead to bacterial infections, permanent damage, and blindness. Here are some of the most common infections from dirty eyeglasses:
Also known as "pink eye", conjunctivitis is a bacterial infection that often requires medication or antibiotic eye drops to clear. The most common symptoms of Pink Eye include redness in one or both eyes, itching, burning, excessive tearing and discharge, and swelling of the eyelids.
Bacterial Keratitis is another bacterial infection that develops in the cornea. It can cause pain, light sensitivity, tearing, and discharge, and impact your quality of vision. Bacterial keratitis develops suddenly and requires immediate treatment from a doctor.
Blepharitis occurs when the tiny oil glands near the base of the eyelashes become clogged, causing irritation and redness. It usually affects both eyes along the edges of the eyelids. Blephartis symptoms include swollen eyelids, crusting, flaking, redness, and a burning sensation, among others. If left untreated, blephartis can cause even more issues, such as chronic conjunctivitis, keratitis, injury to the cornea, and eyelid skin problems.
A corneal ulcer is an open sore on the cornea and requires immediate treatment, usually consisting of strong antibiotics and steroids. Symptoms of a corneal ulcer include severe pain, soreness, pus or discharge, impaired vision, and a white spot on the cornea. A corneal ulcer is serious and can cause permanent damage to your vision and even cause blindness if it is not treated promptly.
What Is The Best Way To Clean and Sanitize Glasses?
Your eyeglass lenses should be cleaned once a day and frames should be tended to weekly. Use an eyeglass cleaner or warm soapy water, washing thoroughly in all the cracks and crevices. Don't forget to thoroughly clean the arms and nose bridge of the frames - germs and bacteria build up the most around these areas. Only use a microfiber drying cloth to keep from scratching the lenses.
For the best sanitizing and cleaning, consider investing in a high-quality UV light sanitizer that combines UV-C technology (wavelength of 253.7 nm, preferably multiple lamps) with the power of professional ultrasonic cleaning (at least 45,000Hz). These are the most effective, as they clean and disinfect thoroughly.
References
“Do Glasses orContacts Make You Vulnerable to Infections?” Stahl, 24 Apr.2020,www.stahlny.com/2020/04/24/do-glasses-or-contacts-make-you-vulnerable-to-infections/.
“Do You Know HowClean Your Glasses Are? – Phillips Eye Specialists.” Phillips Eye Specialists, www.oomc.com/phillips/do-you-know-how-clean-your-glasses-are/.
Fritz, Birgit, et al.“A View to a Kill? – Ambient Bacterial Load of Frames and Lenses of Spectaclesand Evaluation of Different Cleaning Methods.” PLOS ONE, vol. 13, no. 11, 28 Nov. 2018, p. e0207238,10.1371/journal.pone.0207238.
Marie, Erin. “WhatCan Happen When You Don’t Clean Your Glasses Enough.” Health Digest, 25 Feb. 2022, www.healthdigest.com/780411/what-can-happen-when-you-dont-clean-your-glasses-enough/.
