In this month’s issue of Contact Lens Spectrum, editor and contact lens specialist Jason J. Nichols, OD, warns that current economic conditions may be affecting how people are wearing and caring for their contact lenses.

Dr. Nichols says hard economic times can alter people’s behavior regarding their health, including how frequently they replace their contacts and how they use contact lens solutions.

“I am hearing more and more reports of patients looking for the cheapest ‘bottle’ on the shelf, which just happens to be saline rather than an appropriate care solution,” he says. Many contact lens wearers may also be using their lenses for longer periods of time rather than discarding and replacing them according to the schedule their optometrist or ophthalmologist recommends, according to Dr. Nichols.

Internet blogs and social networking sites may be contributing to the problem: some sites feature discussion boards where contact lens wearers report how they routinely wear their disposable contacts longer than recommended.

Dr. Nichols warns that poor contact lens habits frequently lead to contact lens-related eye infections, including severe infections like Acanthamoeba keratitis. He urges eye doctors to continue educating and re-educating their patients about proper contact lens wear and care.

In a related story published in the journal, a survey released by the American Optometric Association indicates 52 percent of consumers are visiting their eye doctor less frequently due to economic reasons. The same survey says 59 percent are visiting their primary care physician less frequently.