The French Society of Contact Lens Adapter Ophthalmologists (SFOALC) has made very clear recommendations to contact lens wearers in this time of crisis. Here is the detail.
- Wearing lenses should be suspended in case of SARS-CoV-2 infection
- Ophthalmologists recommend following hygiene measures to the letter
Should glasses be preferred during an epidemic? That’s what recommend the American Academy of Ophthalmology which asked at the beginning of March, to no longer wear contact lenses in order to avoid touching your face.
“You rub your eyes, scratch your face, put your fingers in your mouth or in your nose”explains to CNN Dr. Steinemann, ophthalmologist and spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology, to justify this position.
Strict hygiene measures
What about in France? The recommendations of the French Society of Contact Lens Adapter Ophthalmologists (SFOALC), which brings together more than 700 ophthalmologists, are more measured.
In note addressed to ophthalmologists and contact lens wearers, the SFOALC sticks to recalling the essential hygiene measures in normal times, but vital in epidemic times: “When inserting and removing lenses, hands should be washed with soap and water and dried with a clean paper towel. If the hydro-alcoholic gel is used when it is not possible to wash the hands, it is necessary to wait until the hands are completely dry in order to avoid contact of the alcoholic solution with the eye..”
COVID-19 Information for contact lens wearers from SFOALC. Hand washing essential, the wearing of lenses must be suspended during ENT infections, in the absence of maintenance solution stop wearing your lenses https://t.co/zIgoDCtrNy
— Thierry BOUR (@SNOF_presidency) March 22, 2020
What to do in case of infection?
Nevertheless, the SFOALC stipulates that the wearing of lenses must be suspended in the event of infection: “It is also important to remember that the wearing of lenses must be suspended during ENT infections (colds, angina, otitis, pharyngitis) due to the proximity of microbial or viral agents. (a fortiori, continuous lens wear is prohibited in these cases). The same applies in the event of suspicion or attack on the coronavirus, in fact the Covid-19 can be present at the level of the conjunctiva..”
If the French ophthalmologists therefore do not see any disadvantages in contact lens wearers retaining this mode of vision correction, they insist that they prefer glasses in the event of suspicion or confirmed infection.
It is estimated that approximately 4 million people wear contact lenses in France and buy lenses for nearly 9 euros per second. These recommendations are therefore intended for a wide audience.
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