Nowadays, more and more people are choosing to replace their glasses with contact lenses for various reasons. Currently, they can be purchased at virtually any optical store or ordered online. The main reason patients purchase contact lenses is their reluctance to wear glasses, such as for aesthetic or comfort reasons. However, a great many people choose them for professional reasons. These are mainly athletes, people working at heights or working in harsh environments, etc.

Contact lens – complications

Unfortunately, not always every wearer has the time and conditions to care for contact lenses on a daily basis, and thus the risk of complications related to their improper use increases.

The contact lens is placed on the cornea and is also in contact with the conjunctiva. Complications that can occur are divided into homogeneous (primary and secondary) and complex ones.

Homogeneous primary complications:

• staining and congestion of the ocular conjunctiva – at first it is asymptomatic, then the tolerance to menses decreases, and eventually burning and itching occur. The cause is mechanical interaction of the lens and hypoxia.
• papillary conjunctivitis – the patient experiences itching, bands of mucus, excessive movement and intolerance of the lens. Symptoms include redness, enlarged nipples, and increased mucous discharge. The cause is the mechanical interaction of the lens.
• Meibom’s gland dysfunction – at first it is asymptomatic, then appears the so-called “Meibom’s gland”. Dry eye syndrome and the result is eyelid inflammation. There is a change in the quantity and quality of secretions, there is a clogging of the glands’ mouths.
• marginal corneal epithelial hypertrophy – asymptomatic, shortened tolerance time, discomfort. Cause: mechanical compression of the lens related to its structure, thickening of the epithelium.
• damage to the corneal epithelium – cause: mechanical compression of the lens related to its construction
• Filamentous keratitis – excessive tearing, mucous discharge, photophobia, visual disturbances, ocular congestion of varying severity, characteristic corneal changes
• Acute corneal hypoxia – corneal stroma injection, epithelial edema, parenchymal corrugations, septa edema
• central corneal haze – visual disturbances, halo around the light source

Homogeneous secondary complications

• lens changes
• congestion of the corneal stroma
• staining of the corneal epithelium
• marginal corneal epithelial hypertrophy
• vascular neoplasia
• corneal infiltrates

Compound complications

• Conjunctival congestion of the eyeball – reaction to lens fluids
• corneal stub injection – reaction to fluids, tight fitting lens
• Corneal erosion – mechanical damage to the epithelium when the lens is removed
• Vascular neoplasia – tight lens, fluid reaction, hypoxia
• Conjunctivitis and keratitis in the upper part of the corneal stroma
• pseudophthalmic keratitis