CDC Press Release: Nearly all contact lens wearers in national survey report risky eye care behaviors that can lead to eye infections

Press Release

 

Embargoed until 1:00 PM ET

Thursday, August 20, 2015

 

Contact: CDC Media Relations

(404) 639-3286

 

 

Nearly all contact lens wearers in national survey report risky eye care behaviors that can lead to eye infections

One-third of contact lens wearers sought care for potentially preventable eye problems

 

Almost all of the 41 million estimated contact lens wearers in the United States may be engaging in at least one behavior known to increase their risk of eye infections, according to a report published today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nearly one-third of contact lens wearers who participated in a national survey reported going to the doctor for red or painful eyes related to wearing contact lenses.

 

More than 99 percent of survey respondents reported at least one risky behavior. The majority of wearers reported:

• Keeping their contact lens cases for longer than recommended (82.3 percent);
• “Topping off” solution in the case—adding new solution to the existing solution instead of emptying the case out fully before adding new solution (55.1 percent); or
• Wearing their lenses while sleeping (50.2 percent).

 

Each of these behaviors has been reported in previous studies to raise the risk of eye infections by five times or more.

 

An online survey was administered to a sample of contact lens wearers to determine how often contact lens wearers engaged in behaviors that could put them at risk for an eye infection. CDC collaborated with the Contact Lens Assessment in Youth (CLAY) group, a multi-university group of researchers, to conduct the survey. A separate survey was used to estimate the number of contact lens wearers – about 41 million adults. Taken together, the survey results indicate that millions of Americans could be at risk for serious eye infections because of poor contact lens hygiene behaviors.

 

Read More>>

 

###

 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

 

CDC works 24/7 protecting America’s health, safety and security. Whether diseases start at home or abroad, are curable or preventable, chronic or acute, stem from human error or deliberate attack, CDC is committed to respond to America’s most pressing health challenges.

The CDC has reached 1 million email subscribers. Thank you for your support. Modify/Update Subscriber Preferences or Unsubscribe | Learn about CDC Updates Questions or problems? Please contact support@govdelivery.com.

---

This email was sent to filter@clubhouseb.com using GovDelivery,on behalf of: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention • 1600 Clifton Rd • Atlanta, GA 30333 • 1-800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636)