What's Living On Your Contact Lenses?

This is why you should always take good care of your contact lenses.
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↓Want more info?↓
Paper on the pathogenesis of contact lens-associated microbial keratitis: 1.usa.gov/1oqzsZ1
Paper on one contact lens defense (which offers therapeutic promise):
bit.ly/1oqAqoa
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Host, Writer, Editor, Animator
Anna Rothschild
Camera and Production Help
Danya Gordin
Up To No Good c
Music Provided by APM
Original Footage
©WGBH Educational Foundation 2016
IMAGES
Bacterial keratitis, a condition in which the eye’s cornea becomes inflamed due to bacterial infection
Getty/BIOPHOTO ASSOCIATES
Female Eye Doctor In Examination Room
Pond5/GinosPhotos
All stock photos from Reactions segments from Shutterstock
File:Clare-314
Wikimedia Commons/Eddie314
File:Pseudomonas aeruginosa culture
Wikimedia Commons/Sun14916
Fusarium sp.
CDC/Dr. Hardin
Herpes Viruses
CDC/Dr. Fred Murphy; Sylvia Whitfield
Acanthamoeba polyphaga
CDC/Catherine Armbruster; Margaret Williams
Photo Credit: Janice Haney Carr
Shirley McClinton making notations on a Petri place of Fusarium fungal colonies
CDC/Mark Lindsley, Sc.D. D(ABMM), Lynette Benjamin, Shirley McClinton
Photo Credit: James Gathany
Clean, open contact lens case
CDC/Amanda Mills
Photo Credit: Amanda Mills
SFX
Cockroaches
Freesound/StateAardvark­
(used with permission from author)
Squeak Pack/squeak_10
Freesound/Corsica_S
Produced by WGBH for PBS Digital Studios

[@Bryan-nj9xf]

From an optometrist who specializes in contact lenses and corneal issues, this is an awesome video! Very well researched and done, I will be sharing this with my patients. Thank you!

[@grossscienceshow]

+Bryan Roof Bryan, that is so great to hear! Thanks for letting me know!

[@vinestafflover88]

Optomolosgist?*

[@ravernot8889]

bugs bunny: What's up doc? Dr: you have carrotitis

[@chummychimchim]

rav ernot ahhahaha! 😀

[@arrsstelle.1747]

XDDD

[@caroldean7710]

Dr. Aloha has the permanent cure to all kinds of diseases and STD. He helped me cure my Genital Herpes permanently in just 10 days kzbin.info/door/_YFEEZEr1BxGkNg1d4vqww 🧡🇺🇸

[@txler0]

John Cena is living on my contact lenses and wrestling the parasites

[@slyharley7861]

+The Wanderer AND HERE"S RANDY WITH THE RKO! Sorry pal, your blind now : (

[@mraliensan4668]

The Wanderer boi go back to fallout

[@anastasiabirde8800]

Crimson Red thats rude, and if they wanted to they would of already.

[@Sirpushyou]

No, you just had facial and some got into your eye.

[@txler0]

No way man this comment was 7 years ago

[@starrcross5063]

mannnn I've been wearing contact lens since high School. my eyes never got infected all you have to do is keep your case clean wash your hands and keep your lens clean change your contact case every month and go to the eye doctor😒

[@dhanushrajamohan7348]

Starr Cross sis...i was using my lens from one month yesterday i slept unknowingly with lens in my eyes for 30 minutes. ...is it a big problem ...is it affect my eyes..?

[@rosesic]

Dhanush Rajamohan Never SLEEP with colored contacts on

[@saratae]

@@dhanushrajamohan7348 It can make ur eyes dry

[@asumbradoreymarc.4456]

It is ok to use them everyday?

[@tez_foe4382]

@@saratae , And It Deprives Your Eyes From Getting Oxygen.

[@CatBatss]

Welp. Time to throw out all my contacts

[@chapo8834]

This is why you clean them!

[@Mister_Facepalm]

I don't want to wear my contacts anymore... o.o

[@grossscienceshow]

+Mister Facepalm Don't worry! I'm wearing mine right now! Just make sure you take care of them :)

[@Mister_Facepalm]

+Gross Science Alright, I will :D

[@black_alice2775]

+Matthew Moore might get you blind tho

[@donnayamagami8310]

Mee too😖

[@malloweo]

welp I feel bad for you and I can see it also says your profile image that please help! XD

[@sdmcelroy]

This joke is cornea.

[@grossscienceshow]

+Stephen McElroy You just made my day.

[@MikeS-yz9qq]

Stephen McElroy

[@xael0u073]

Stephen McElroy Eye see what you did there.

[@imgay9]

Stephen McElroy I love you

[@bigshrekhorner]

Didn't get it...

[@morgan-rq2um]

This is scary bc i wear contacts

[@rahimel-mulla2894]

Morgan Link Is that your glasses in your profile PICTURE ???

[@TheTwilitHero]

EYEGLASSES MASTER RACE!

[@ShockDD]

+TheTwilitHero Yes, have fun playing sports with glasses.

[@kojo717]

+ShockD sports glasses

[@ShockDD]

Cartoon Kid Yes, underwater.

[@animaor1433]

i play sports with glasses all the time without problems lol

[@MAndSquared]

Prescription goggles exist

[@WorldEaterFilms]

i really enjoy how you talk everyone down from the spookiness you invoke at the video

[@belogio]

I have actually had this. It caused my corneas in both eyes to swell up to the point that I couldn't see, even with glasses on. My doctor had me on a steroid eyedrop medication for a few weeks which helped heal me.

[@hehsuess5431]

this video is for all my friends that say I should've got contact lenses since they do. now I'm happy I have classes, thx Anna :)

[@LovinoFernandez]

How to prevent it: wear glasses instead

[@kiara-chan4468]

LovinoFernandez+ #wearglasses

[@zoegrey3355]

True I don’t enjoy wearing glasses but true point

[@GtForLife123]

Good gosh, that cornea picture. With hard contacts ya used to pop em in your mouth to give em a rinse, but I'll keep sticking to dalies and won't sleep with 'em in. Nice vid. Here's to not getting eyelashes under the contacts.

[@AirynnAlysha]

just got my contact lens for the first time & now im scared

[@asyikinidros8579]

Airynn Alysha same with me 😭

[@sajda1591]

Airynn Alysha ull be fine

[@thecardplug9625]

Scary, I sleep with my contact lenses on every day but now I will stop that.

[@mike.likes.science]

Anna! I just started wearing contacts so I watched this video right away! But I saw it before I went to bed and had a weird dream! Great video even with the weird dreams and all haha.

[@grossscienceshow]

+Coma Niddy Oh no! Well, I'm sorry my video was incorporated into your dreaming life, but I'm glad I could impart some useful information! Hope you love the contact lenses :)

[@nerdnation1076]

Glasses for Life

[@danicafontanilla5742]

I've been wearing Contact lenses for a years. I even sleep with contacts in my Eyes... Unless you clean your lenses with a solution It won't infect your eye.

[@Silver-qk9dr]

Danica Fontanilla do you wear night lenses?

[@danicafontanilla5742]

savva demin no...not even a graded lenses. just sleep with your lenses for like 4 hours and when you wake up, don't remove it yet because the lenses are stuck in your eye..just wait for 5 min and remove it...I see no problem in my eyes when I do this...just make sure the lenses you bought are not fake..

[@agnesnghuiyinn1248]

Don't wear when sleep 😴 the contact lens will slide behind your eyeball and need surgery to take out it will be painful

[@catherinepatin9961]

Huh, figures I would be part of that .2% to have those issues with contacts. I used to get tons of irritation and Corneal ulcerations all the time no matter how careful I was, so I finally just gave up on the contacts and went back to glasses.

[@grossscienceshow]

+Catherine Patin Oof. I'm so sorry to hear it!

[@watchensee]

Why I've always preferred glasses.

[@ravenpotato3368]

*shoves tap water cleaned lettuce in eye*

[@archaic995]

Raven Potato mk

[@flofffghnn5837]

Eye gets eaten

[@hayman122]

I only wear contacts when u go out or to school they normally don't irritate your eyes if u clean them correctly and not like ur mopping the floor blind folded.

[@gargychakraborty4888]

3 cheers for spectacles. 👓👓👓They are better than contact lenses.

[@JC-wh6gy]

I'm glad I choose to keep wearing glasses

[@hayman122]

also if your new to contacts if you use water as solution or to wash the contacts you mine as well soak them in dirty mop water from the cafeteria tap water is full of bacteria

[@moonperson8627]

*puts on glasses and smiles*

[@afreakingweeb3060]

I just started getting this after using contacts

[@babelle2904]

I got a contact lenses ad

[@suhaagha7985]

Omg same

[@lilithmarie535]

+suha agha I got one for bio true

[@DDG2023]

I got an ad for LensesOnly. Which is funny... cos I already use them. But scarily enough, this means the Google servers are now sentient, and it's only a matter of time before Skynet comes online...

[@furioustnt9701]

Natsuiro same

[@euniceong595]

AYE JAEMIN NANA

[@jeanjean9624]

i am using contact lens for almost a years. i dont feel anything and aside of that i am careful to my eyes

[@pipermeloche7915]

lol I have an appointment to get contacts for the first time tommorow. perfect timing haha

[@effysiale9857]

wash your hands and contact lenses daily .. Done sorted

[@NathanielTheminer700]

But i don't want GLASSES

[@opheliiia55]

reid uhm SAME me 2

[@xxjennifergoldenxx5623]

oJDNFNFKNFJRNKR GTRGRDFBG you cant still wear contacts just wash your hands wash the contacts:))) I

[@an8thdimensionalbeing142]

This is why I prefer to wear glasses.

[@FirstLastFirstLast]

I'll definitely wear glasses when i get problems with my vision.

[@jessquartzfrost5637]

Definitely don't wear contacts to the beach or on a boat and then fall asleep in them or leave them in, take them out immediately after, I recently left them in after a beach and boating trip and got a corneal ulcer

[@theoddtaraout8625]

This is why glasses are great

[@jellysquiddles3194]

I never get the wish for cantact lenses... too expensive compared to glasses... you have to stick them in your eyes... you can lose them... well infections...

[@Yewon2001]

Another reason I'm sticking with glasses

[@somaannn]

I learn more from you, Veritasium, Vsauce..etc. Than i do from school

[@Cleeon]

We want this channel back and continue, really helps for well being of human life

[@caroldean7710]

Dr. Aloha has the permanent cure to all kinds of diseases and STD. He helped me cure my Genital Herpes permanently in just 10 days kzbin.info/door/_YFEEZEr1BxGkNg1d4vqww 🧡🇺🇸

[@sorcierego]

I wear eye contacts. And I feel like wearing Glasses now....

[@parbirkular4797]

You clean your contacts first so this might be fake but if you don't clean them this can happen

[@mcmarioss]

hypochondriac mode On

[@elijah9822]

Ahaha completely off topic but that was so cute what you did with your nose at 0:14 Love your videos!!! Lots of stuff I never knew and you make it so easy to learn in such a short amount of time!

[@YoungTheFish]

No offence, but I think the video would look better if you push the exposure up by 1 stop... I always feel like your skin-tone is slightly underexposed against the pure white background. Still, great video!

[@Rudenbehr]

What's wrong with being dark you racist, don't like black folk?

[@soundarya.k7315]

How will I use tap water ever again knowing this??? 1:06 😅

[@janeens_lucidity2531]

That's why I wear glasses

[@NatetheNerdy]

Just out of curiosity, have you ever heard of the tag NSFL? It means not safe for life, and includes some of the worst kinds of infections, wounds, and I don't even know pictures the internet has. I was just reminded of it from the picture of the eye. I recommend anyone who wants to go into the medical field look it up.

[@grossscienceshow]

+NateTheNerdy No, I hadn't heard of it. Good to know.

[@juticeforsociety]

Scientist from Hyderabad based CSIR CENTER FOR CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY have developed a novel way to treat fungal keratitis with nanoparticles

[@janesullivan692]

*laughs wearing glasses*

[@SimplyMayaBeauty]

As if I didn't hate them enough. They make my eyes so tired :(

[@russianbot8269]

Pause the video. 2:09 OH OK.

[@spoopyrubbishbinmarythe8688]

jokes on you, I have glasses!

[@KerriGrinnage]

Sweet Jesus, woman! I now want to claw my eyes out. Thanks for that.

[@grossscienceshow]

+Kerri Estella Grinnage (The Right Style) Ha. Sorry, Kerri!

[@Steaphany]

I once knew a gal who cleaned her contacts by removing them, placed each in turn into her mouth for a thorough wash with saliva and tongue, and then immediately returned them into her eyes. YUK !! GROSS !! ( Oral bacteria and food debris now in the eyes !! ) I had shivers when I witnessed it ! Worse still was knowing around the back of the eye and along the optic nerve is a direct pathway right into the brain. ( I then realized why this gal didn't have one ) I need a break now to VOMIT

[@thomaslam.88]

I hardly wear contacts so i still have some lens mfg date expired. Maybe as old as 5-6 years, sealed in its original container. Are they still safe to wear?

[@sakura5018]

Would you recommend wearing contact lenses in salt water? for example the ocean? I head that contact lenses attract alot of bacteria

[@cccecccilia]

I know that at the end of this video I won't ever want contacts on my eyes, but juste reaaaaaaaaaaaaaally want to watch it >

[@effaazila8988]

where can i get the contact lens washer?😧 and why everytime im using contact lens my eyes red😰 im worry about that

[@SnowWhite-tc5vr]

never mind. I don't want to wear contacts anymore. this is disgusting

[@andreasoo9812]

Well at least I wear glasses instead of contacts!

[@PJ-su6mq]

see this is why i where glasses and not contact lenses

[@ManojKumar-wg5ps]

Is monthly lenses preferable ?

[@DBHHellhound]

Is the blindness temporary ?

[@nefarious69poopi]

I just wear coloured ones occasionally

[@biggiecheese4813]

Iris I never have to wear contacts. Eye really hate that thought.

[@lightifystore]

I've stopped wearing my contacts after watching this video. my eyes are more important than my looks :-)

[@619brandie]

this made my eyes watery

[@wknchannel9728]

it might be fake not being mean just curious

[@caearthquakesociety2705]

Guys, Contacts are safe for your eyes. Just make sure to take take them out before bed. I just wear glasses at night. Wearing contact lenses during the day is better than glasses. If you want be really safe and clean with your contact lenses, get an Ultrasonic Contact Lens Cleaner.

[@eathanblackhope2318]

Eye Subscribed.

[@musicmedic13]

which microorganism is ore common for contact lens induced infection, pseudomonas or acanthmoeba ?

[@blacknwhite3525]

And this is why I don't wear contacts. Besides, I look better in glasses. .-.

[@cedricr8764]

Hey I use contacts but I wash my hand before I wear it can it causes my eyes?

[@mattsodano6264]

Glasses really are better.

[@deadlypuppet2274]

I use the one day lenses and i feel something in my eye. I think i might have a piece of the lens stuck (when putting it into my eye in shattered a bit) (its very thin ok? ) so do i have that bacteria or stuff?

[@angeliquedeklein]

Luckily,I have glasses 😥

[@jahannalamborghini4985]

*takes out my eyes* Still gonna wear glasses

[@xxelisaxx]

I got an add for contact lenses...

[@akylah5503]

I rarely wear my contacts,only for school or when I go to the movies

[@isaiahvolgnaugh4984]

Now I have an excuse to have an irrational fear of lettuce...😂

[@purpleunicorn397]

*Contact lenses has left the chat*

[@graphenepixel8231]

man I have never heard of an infection like that.

[@marishkasirbiladze724]

Well I'm pretty new at contact lenses so I have a question to others. Am I supposed to feel contact lense. Like when I have it on my eye I feel like something's dropped in it. I don't have this feeling after I take it out. Is it ok?

[@sophiaivanenko6995]

Marishka Sirbiladze you are not meant to feel the contact in your eye, unless you are putting it in wrong. you might feel it for a few seconds if you rub your eyes to hard or if there is a piece of dust on the inner side of the lense.

[@TemporaryViewerHandle]

i never wore contacts but i feel like theirs something stuck on my eyes.

[@magpieyay4761]

Second and 110 and now I'm thinking to try not need contacts gulp

[@durdleduc8520]

I like how near the end of every video you look at a picture related to the video and say "Ew." For some reason it's ironic to me, since you've been talking about it for the last few minutes.

[@tonyengland420]

wash your hands before you touch your face or eyes

[@beababy]

I’ve always wanted to wear contacts to change my eye color... I change my mind 😶😳

[@ZZ-Val]

I still want contact to change my eye color... It still ok that i do sir? Edit: ma'me uwu

[@madoface]

please please please make an episode about mummies and the art of mummification

[@nidhisvlog3785]

Well.....I better be the glass person.👓👓

[@zerocalvin]

this is why Glasses > Contact..

[@sozuruQ2]

I was lucky to have my video buffer at 0:16 🙂

[@loidalizardo7270]

Dirts are everywhere.i still wear my colored lenses as long as i always clean them and not wearing for a long period of time

[@dilbertdogooder9793]

Channel Description: New episodes every Monday!

[@mimoooon]

I didn’t tell my mom if I can’t see anything in far distance. I need to wear glasses but I can see in near distance

[@heartslove3857]

Why do pinworms itch

[@curlyhairdudeify]

Team eyeglasses.