To prevent becoming infected with COVID-19, health experts are urging people to avoid touching their face. That's because SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can enter the body through the mouth, nose and eyes. That's left millions of people around the world who wear contact lenses wondering if they should stop wearing them and switch to glasses during this pandemic.

Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert, says it is safe for people to continue wearing contact lenses as long as they remain diligent about washing their hands.

Watch: Dr. Poland discusses wearing contact lenses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Journalists: Sound bites with Dr. Gregory Poland are in the downloads at the end of the post. Please courtesy "Gregory Poland, M.D. / Vaccine Research Group / Mayo Clinic."

"I don't think the issue is so much the contact lenses as it is hand hygiene before inserting or taking out the contact lenses. You certainly want to wash, and you don't want to use an alcohol-based hand rub because you'll feel it in your eye. But wash your hands well before inserting and taking them out," says Dr. Poland.

Dr. Poland says everyone, whether they wear contact lenses or not, should avoid rubbing or itching their eyes.

"I moved to wearing glasses years ago because I never was very comfortable in contacts, and I would find myself rubbing my eyes ― doing things like that. If it's not comfortable for you to wear them, or you're having dry eyes and having to touch your eyes or put in liquid tears, it probably would be preferable to wear glasses if you could. The main point would be it's a reminder not to touch your eyes, your nose, your mouth."

The American Optometric Association is reinforcing that contact lenses are safe when proper care is taken and they are properly worn. The organization adds that contact lenses themselves will not give someone COVID-19.

Check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for additional updates on COVID-19. For more information and all your COVID-19 coverage, go to the Mayo Clinic News Network and mayoclinic.org.

The post Is it safe to wear contact lenses during the COVID-19 pandemic? appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Seen by some as the finishing touch to a ghoulish getup, the FDA says the poorly fitted contacts could be the beginning of serious eye problems.

Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video pkg (1:00) is in the downloads at the end of the post.
Please ‘Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network.’ Read the script.

When it comes to colored or decorative contact lens – Halloween buyer beware.

"The only safe contact lenses are when you go to an eye doctor – so somebody who is actually certified in being able to look at your eyes and fit you for a prescription," says Dr. Vandana Bhide, an internal medicine specialist.

Dr. Bhide is echoing a recent warning from the FDA, saying, for contacts, a prescription is a must. The alert specifically lists boutiques, novelty and Halloween stores as places not to buy contact lens.

That’s because contact lenses are not one-size-fits-all devices. Dr. Bhide says a poor fit can cause serious injury.

"And, specifically, the part of the eye that’s most concerning is what’s called the cornea, which is the front," she says. "It's the clear part of the eye that covers the pupil and the colored part of the eye, and that is a membrane that can very easily get damaged."

Scratches on the cornea, infections and impaired vision are all possible results of bad lenses.

"It’s really not worth all of the potential problems that you can have," adds Dr. Bhide.

Her advice is skip the colored contacts and the risks that come with them, and choose a happy – albeit slightly less spooky – Halloween.

The post Mayo Clinic Minute: A warning about costume contacts appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

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