I‘m pretty sure that every Singaporean would’ve brought at least one pair of contact lenses before in your life.

Even if you technically don’t need to wear a pair of spectacles to function in society, there are many other uses of contact lenses that people are more interested in.

Namely, to look handsomer or prettier in real life.

 

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But did you know that having a pair of contact lenses with the right lens power isn’t enough?

Read Also: Chow Yun Fat, Who Has a Net Worth of About SGD$1 Billion, Spends Only $4.50 Daily

How People Usually Buy Contact Lens

“Uncle! I want to buy Acuvue daily contact lenses. One box 500 and the other side 250.”

“Nah, here you go.”

“Thank you, uncle!”

*Walks away*.

If you find the above situation familiar, plus-minus some chit-chat session with the uncle, you might be doing it all wrong.

Because they’re supposed to give you a proper eye examination before you buy any pair of contact lenses.

According to the Optometrists and Opticians Board’s (OOB) code of professional conduct, licenced optometrists have to:

• Ask you about your eye care history
• Perform an eye test with a phoropter
• Scan your eyeballs
• Check the curve of your cornea
• Making sure the contact lens fit your eyes

The last step is, perhaps, the most important step of all, and it can take up to 90 minutes to carry out.

The Consequences of Ill-Fitting Contact Lens

20-year-old Miss Kellynn Tan told Channel Newsasia that when she bought a pair of coloured contact lenses from a shop in a shopping mall, she started experiencing discomfort in her eyes.

She claimed that the contact lenses were too big for her eyes and kept moving around.

After two months, it got so painful she couldn’t see.

She went to get an eye check and found out that she was suffering from an eye infection and corneal abrasions.

She went to another optometrist and was told she had contact-lens induced papillary conjunctivitis and had bumps on the inside of her eyelids.

Another woman said that she had been buying contact lenses off the shelf for the past ten years.

The only time she had gotten an eye examination, she claimed, was when she bought contact lenses for the first time.

Then, she found out that she has corneal neovascularization caused by a lack of oxygen to the cornea, which could’ve been caused by ill-fitting contact lenses.

The condition is one that, if left unchecked, could lead to blindness.

(Article continues below) Xing Xing is a 34-year-old Singaporean lady who decides to meet up with an online friend she found in Facebook. But it turns out that he’s not what he seems to be: Prepare boxes of tissue and watch the saddest Singapore Facebook love story here:

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So there you go, buying contact lenses 101.

If you, or your friends, buy any contact lenses from now on, better make sure you request for a proper eye checkup.

The current climate in Singapore is, if you request for a proper eye checkup, they’ll give it to you.

If you don’t, well, there’s no guarantee you’ll receive it, even if you’re technically required to.

And we all know that saying, don’t we? It’s better to be safe than never.

Stay safe, people, and share this with your friends.

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