Contact Lenses - Part 1

What are contact lenses?

Contact lenses are small, thin discs made of a transparent material. The outer surfaces are custom-shaped to correct or improve vision and the inner side is carefully formed to fit the surface of the cornea (the clear, front covering of the eye including the iris and pupil). Today, the lenses are typically soft (flexible) but hard (rigid) are still available.

Contact lenses can be a safe and effective way to correct vision for most people. However, people who wear them must follow the directions of their eye specialist - this care includes how long the lenses can be worn continuously, how they should be cleaned and stored, and the good hygiene practices to follow when wearing or handling the lenses. Many people wear contact lenses because they prefer them to eye glasses - contact lenses do not slip down your nose or fog up in the wintertime. A few people, however, must wear contact lenses to have adequate vision (for example, after cataract surgery, or for medical conditions such as keratoconus - a deformity of the cornea).

Contact lenses can cause some problems that do not produce any symptoms that the contact lens wearer may not notice. For this reason, contact lens wearers should have regular checkups with a specialist who prescribes and fits contact lenses.

What is the controversy about wearing contact lenses at

work?

Put as simply as possible, the problem is that, according to some people, contact lenses may complicate eye safety.

The arguments against wearing contact lenses in the work environment are based on the following:

dusts or chemicals can be trapped behind the lens and cause irritation or damage to the cornea or both;

gases and vapours can cause irritation and excessive eye watering; and

chemical splash may be more injurious when contact lenses are worn. This increased risk is related to the removal of the lenses. If removal is delayed, first aid treatment may not be as effective and, in turn, the eye's exposure time to the chemical may be increased.

However, the opposite may be true as well. Contact lenses may prevent some substances from reaching the eye, and thus minimize or even prevent an injury. Both situations have been documented.  As a result, a wide range of opinions about the safety of contact lenses in the workplace has formed. More complete information is hard to find since occupational injury reporting systems do not typically include information about contact lens use.

The critical point to remember is that contact lenses are not intended to be used as protective devices. They are not a substitute for personal protective equipment (PPE) - if eye and face protection is required for certain work operations then all workers, including contact lens wearers, should wear the proper protective devices. Safe work conditions for all workers are only possible when basic occupational health and safety practices and procedures are followed.