After several bouts of goopy morning eyes and pink eye, we realized the importance of keeping our eyes clean. It blows your mind when you think about it. So many items that contact our eyes are breeding grounds for bacteria.
The CDC reports that over 30 million people in the U.S. wear contacts, which need to be carefully taken care of / cleaned or they can be a major source of eye irritation and/or infection. The CDC also reports that serious eye infections that can lead to blindness affect up to 1 out of every 500 contact lens users each year. Not following proper contact lens care is been linked to outbreaks of serious eye infections. Between 40%-90% of contact lens wearers do not properly follow the care instructions for their contact lenses – that seems like a LOT! Improper cleaning of contacts, contact lens cases, and other items that come in contact with your eyes have been linked to a higher risk of complications. (1)
According to the American Academy of Opthalmology, each year over 1 million Americans get eye infections so bad that they require a trip to the doctor or hospital. (2) You can prevent painful and potentially blinding eye infections by properly cleaning things that can come in contact with your eyes.
Check out the Infographic below for tips on how to protect your eyes from harmful bacteria and keep your vision pristine!
Sources
(1) https://www.cdc.gov/contactlenses/fast-facts.html
(2) https://www.aao.org/newsroom/eye-health-statistics