Why Can'T You Wear Contacts During Surgery

As a plastic surgeon, it is important to maintain high levels of hygiene and sterility during surgical procedures. One way to do this is by avoiding the use of contact lenses during surgery. Here are some reasons why you should not wear contacts during surgery related to plastic surgery and medical aesthetics:

1. Lack of Visibility: Contact lenses can obstruct your field of vision, which may make it difficult for you to see certain surgical details clearly. During a procedure like rhinoplasty or breast augmentation, the surgeon needs a clear view of the bone structure and tissues being worked on. Contacts can cause glare and distortions that could lead to errors in surgery.
2. Risk of Infection: Contact lenses have the potential to harbor bacteria and other microorganisms. If you wear contacts during surgery, there is an increased risk of infection for both your eyes and the surgical site. The use of contact lenses may also increase the chances of cross-contamination between different patients, especially if multiple surgeries are being conducted on a single day or within close timeframes.
3. Sterilization Concerns: While you can wear glasses during surgery, contacts need to be disinfected before and after each procedure. It is important that your contact lenses are properly cleaned, sterilized and stored between procedures to avoid any potential contamination of the surgical site. Wearing contacts during surgery could compromise the sterility of the operating room environment and increase the risk of post-surgical complications such as infection or inflammation.
4. Eye Health: While wearing glasses may not pose a significant risk to your eye health, contact lenses can have negative effects on your eyes' natural tear film. This can cause dryness, irritation, and increased sensitivity during surgery. Furthermore, some patients who wear contacts might be more susceptible to complications such as corneal abrasions or scratches that could lead to infections after the procedure is complete.
5. Personal Hygiene: It is essential for surgeons and staff members to maintain personal hygiene at all times during surgical procedures. Wearing contact lenses may increase your susceptibility to eye infections, which can spread easily from one patient to another in an operating room setting. To minimize risks associated with cross-contamination or infection transmission between patients undergoing surgery, it's best practice for surgeons and other medical personnel not to wear contacts while working on multiple individuals within close timeframes.
6. Ease of Access: During some surgical procedures, the surgeon needs clear access to your eye structures such as the eyelid margin, lacrimal gland or tear duct opening without being obscured by contact lenses. In certain cases where there is a need for additional visibility during surgery (e.g., glaucoma, corneal transplantation), it may be necessary for surgeons and anesthetists to use special types of goggles designed specifically with these procedures in mind rather than relying on traditional glasses or contact lenses worn over them.

In conclusion, wearing contacts during surgical procedures related to plastic surgery and medical aesthetics is not recommended due to various risks associated with increased chances of infection, compromised sterility within the operating room environment, personal hygiene concerns for surgeons and staff members who wear them, visibility issues leading potentially inaccurate surgical outcomes or complications that may arise post-surgery from contact lens wear. It's essential for plastic surgeons and their team members to maintain high levels of hygiene and sterility while working on patients undergoing various types of aesthetic procedures such as rhinoplasty, breast augmentation surgeries, laser treatments among others; this includes avoiding the use of contacts during these operations altogether when possible.