I wish I could say this story surprised me.

[lederhosen]

Mundine's left eye, operated on last week, reportedly became infected over the weekend after he removed a protective contact lens at a restaurant and cleaned it with his mouth.

But, having worked in the contact lens industry, I'm not in the least surprised. Any time you look at complication rates for contact lens wear, just remember that those figures are averages that include people who follow the instructions (at least mostly) and those who missed learning about the germ theory of disease.

Comments

[psychowoof.livejournal.com]

O.k. I'll admit to the emergency use of spit to get a contact lens back in. However, it was never a protective lens put in place after having eye surgery (if I read the news clip correctly).

[scascot.livejournal.com]

<shudder>

[lederhosen.livejournal.com]

I'll admit to the emergency use of spit to get a contact lens back in.

My understanding is that it's not too dangerous doing that very occasionally in emergencies (although something sterile is better). After listening to some of the clinicians, though, I wouldn't be surprised to hear that some people use spit regularly because it's cheaper than cleaning solutions.

Then there are the folk who don't wash their hands before inserting/removing lenses... or the ones who wear daily lenses for months at a time. I'm not exactly squeamish, but I can't imagine how people can do that to their eyes.

[psychowoof.livejournal.com]

My situation involved being in an automobile and needing to have both eyes with vision correction in order to drive safely.

I can't even imagine wearing short-term lenses for long periods of time. Back when I wore contacts regularly, I was having to enzyme clean my lenses EVERY day because my eyes build up protein so quickly. I was so happy that single-wear lenses came out. Of course, wearing glasses most of the time is just so much easier.

[culfinriel.livejournal.com]

Ditto.

[scascot.livejournal.com]

I have worn contact lenses for...<counts>...20 years. And I have never, ever, EVER considered using saliva to re-wet or "clean" a lens.

I have, however, resorted to using a minute amount of tap water (yes, I know) to flush debris from a lens, and have used Visine to re-wet a dried-out lens. It's because of this that I now carry pre-measured saline ampules (commonly used for nebulizer treatments) for emergency lens cleaning/wettings. They're available at most medical supply stores here in the States.

[freyaw.livejournal.com]

This is why contact cleaning fluid also comes in small bottles, which fit in a normal-sized handbag. There is one in our cupboard which shall make its way into my danceclass bag when my (new) lenses arrive. There are portions of sterile saline drops in our first aid kits, and in random spots throughout the house.

Sense. We has it.

[waitingman.livejournal.com]

Much as I'd like to see "The Man" carrying a handbag ~ especially into the boxing ring... I doubt it'll happen.

If Mundine loses the use of one eye, at least there's a career as a commentator waiting for him. He certainly wouldn't be the first one-eyed windbag... although maybe the first literal one.

[freyaw.livejournal.com]

The last time I had contacts, the small saline thingies would end up in the pockets of my jeans when I was wearing them. I'd walk out the door, making sure I had my keys, wallet, eye thingies... They're smaller than my keys. Except for the shed key. And my first five came with my contacts starter kit.

I found myself reading this and mourning that the infection probably wasn't life-threatening. If you're inattentive enough to wash your contacts with bacteria-rich fluid, you deserve a Darwin Award. Maybe a Darwinocular.