Since the COVID-19 outbreak, many people have been protecting themselves from infection by wearing face masks and avoiding touching their mouth and nose. Los Angeles LASIK experts are also saying that eyes are a point of contact that people should exercise caution with as well.
Our mouth, nose, and eyes all have mucous membranes that line the cavities of the body and produce a lubricating mucus to help basic sensory functions. Mucous membranes are protective layers of tissue that allow the innermost systems of our body to remain unaffected. However, these membranes are also very sensitive to infection. This is why LASIK Los Angeles clinics like Excel Laser Vision Institute are warning those who wear contacts and glasses to reevaluate their eye care routines.
People who wear contacts are 3-4 times more likely to touch their eyes than people who wear glasses. This increased interaction with the eye exposes mucous membranes to potential infection. Many eye doctors are encouraging people to wear glasses in place of contact lenses in order to reduce this risk.
Current research shows that COVID-19 transmission is far more likely through inhalation of infected air droplets through the mouth and nose. However, doctors are not entirely ruling out the risk of eye contact. The best preventative measures will take all sensitive areas into account, which is why people should be aware of touching their eyes as well.
According to news sources, about 75% of adults need some kind of vision correction to go about their daily lives. Unfortunately, in the time of COVID-19, people who wear contacts or glasses risk touching their eyes and face more than people who have gotten LASIK eye surgery or have naturally strong eyesight.
Glasses may provide a solution to the risks of contact lenses because direct finger-eye contact is not necessary to apply the corrective lens; however, it is not a perfect solution. Those who wear glasses have a tendency to adjust the frames and scratch areas of the face without even realizing it. According to a 2015 study by the American Journal of Infection Control, people who wear glasses are 44% more likely to touch their face more than 20 times in an hour.
So, in light of these risks, LASIK Los Angeles experts are calling for increased caution and awareness. If for any reason individuals do not have the option of wearing glasses and are continuing to wear contacts, they should attempt to find single-use contact lenses. These disposable lenses will offer increased protection from contamination by simply changing them out every day. In the case of more long-term contact lenses, individuals should maintain a regular routine of cleaning contacts each time they are removed and replaced. Disinfecting solutions can vary according to your eye health needs and allergy risks. So, it is always best to consult an eye doctor before trying a new product.
In the case where prescription glasses are available, these are generally believed to be a safer option in the time of COVID-19. They may, in some cases, act as a partial eye shield from infected particles. However, individuals must still exercise caution by washing hands often and being aware of the urge to touch or move glasses during the day.
Although your local LASIK eye center in Los Angeles may be temporarily closed for non-urgent appointments, you may consider calling to schedule an eye exam and consultation once businesses start re-opening. In the wake of a worldwide pandemic, many people are starting to realize the risk of wearing contact lenses and the daily inconvenience of having to rely on glasses.
LASIK clinics are expecting a surge in appointments from people who are tired of dealing with fogged-up glasses as they wear their protective masks or the anxiety of cleaning their contact lenses thoroughly every day. LASIK surgery provides so many benefits that improve one’s quality of life. For people that are concerned about whether or not they are viable candidates for the surgery, there is good news—LASIK eye correction technology has advanced so that more and more people are able to qualify for the procedure.
LASIK is known to treat vision problems such as myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. Now that technology has advanced, people with higher prescriptions who were first eliminated from LASIK surgery approval are now being reconsidered. In order to verify your status as a candidate, it is best to visit a LASIK surgery expert who can measure different aspects of your eye health and prescription in order to determine whether this could be an effective procedure to correct your vision.
LASIK experts evaluate your prescription to see if it is within a reasonable range of laser eye surgery treatment. If one clinic does not see you as a potential candidate, this does not mean that your LASIK journey is over. The ability to treat certain eye conditions is highly dependent on an eye center’s access to technology and resources.
LASIK eye surgeons will also do a thorough examination of your eye health, history, and quality in order to determine if you qualify for the surgery. For some people, traditional LASIK may not be the most efficient procedure while PRK or SMILE can offer better results for their vision goals. Since there are so many elements that factor into an individual’s eligibility for LASIK, it is always best to get an expert’s opinion.
Now that people are realizing the disadvantages of relying on contacts and glasses during this trying time, LASIK provides an optimistic view of the future. Imagine being able to see the world around you in sharp, vibrant clarity without corrective lenses. Many LASIK patients even describe the difference in their vision capabilities after the surgery versus their vision with contacts or glasses. The distortion effect of prescription glasses can’t quite match the brilliant image of the world with laser-corrected vision. Instead of being handed a new prescription every few years, LASIK finds your true prescription and adjusts your light-focusing abilities in order to provide vision correction that lasts, so that you can enjoy life to the fullest.