If you have vision problems, but no insurance coverage, you may be trying to find ways to save money on your vision care. However, borrowing someone else's contact lenses is not the best way to go about that. If you've been trying to save money by wearing someone else's contact lenses, you're doing more harm than good. Not only will you end up spending money to correct the problem, but you'll also be inflicting harm on your eyes. Here are three reasons why you should never borrow contact lenses.
Additional Vision Problems
One of the problems with borrowing contact lenses is that there's no way of knowing if they're the proper prescription for your eyes. Even if someone has similar vision problems, there could still be discrepancies that could lead to additional vision problems. While your vision won't get worse by wearing the wrong contacts, it won't get better either. In fact, you may notice increased eye strain, blurriness, or headaches when wearing the wrong contacts.
Eye Pain
You may not realize this, but every eye is shaped differently, especially around the cornea. These size and shape differences are part of the reason why you should only wear contacts that are designed specifically for your eyes. Contacts that are too big may slip during the course of the day, leading to scratches on the surface of your cornea. Contacts that are too small may constrict the cornea, causing eye pain. Not only that, but contacts that are too small can prevent your eyes from receiving the lubrication they require from your tears. This could result in eye irritation and additional pain.
Corneal Infections
If you're wearing someone else's contact lenses, you may be inviting corneal infections. Even if you're wearing non-prescription lenses, the risk of corneal infection increases through the use of borrowed contacts. Corneal infections can be caused by the transfer of germs from one eye to the next, which can occur when you borrow contacts. They can also be caused by wearing contacts that are the wrong size. Ill-fitting contacts can allow germs and bacteria to get trapped against the eye, leading to infections that can damage the cornea.
If you're in need of contacts, avoid the temptation of borrowing them from a friend or family member. Using contacts that aren't yours can harm your eyes. Talk to your optometrist about the different types of contacts that are available for your particular vision problems.