|
Can I Wear my 2-Week Lenses
Longer Than 2 Weeks?
Replacing Your Disposable Contact Lenses
This is one of the most frequent questions
I hear from my patients and I’m sure other doctors would agree. Before I
answer this question, let me give you some background information.
The U.S. Food & Drug Association (FDA) classifies contact lenses as
“medical devices” and the FDA regulates their manufacturing and sale in
the United States. National law mandates that contact lenses can only be
dispensed with a valid prescription from a health care provider. Any of
the following health care providers are able to legally prescribe contact
lenses: Optometrist (O.D.), Ophthalmologist (M.D.), Physician (M.D.) and
Physician Assistant (P.A.).
When a new contact lens is being developed, it is the FDA that decides
whether to “approve” or “fail to approve” it. It makes this decision after
a series of testing studies performed by doctors throughout the nation (I
have been involved in the approval of only one lens; the AcuVue Bifocal).
Any lens “approved” is deemed to be “safe and effective” for patients in
the United States. When the FDA approves a disposable or frequent
replacement contact lens, it specifies the recommended replacement
schedule for that lens. It also specifies whether the lens is approved for
daily wear, flexible wear and/or extended wear.
Lenses categorized as disposable are approved with a replacement schedule
of one day (single use), one week and two weeks. Frequent replacement
lenses have replacement schedules of one month, three months and six
months. Conventional, or non-disposable lenses are rated to last (and be
replaced after) one year of full-time wear.
Patients that consistently wear their lenses longer than the recommended
replacement periods do increase their risk of potential contact
lens-related problems. These problems include eye infections and
ulcerations of the cornea.
So what do I tell my patients when asked this
common question? I usually say something like
this... "The only way I can prescribe a contact lens is according to the
FDA’s approval requirements. These lenses are approved for a _____
replacement schedule and that is what I recommend to you. However, how you
wear them at home is up to you, but if you wear them longer than I
recommend you increase the risk of eye problems and complications."
~RQ
Navigate back to "The Eye Opener" |
