Scottish wearers' contact lens are the dirtiest in the UK, with more than three-quarters putting their sight at risk, a study has revealed.

Scottish wearers' contact lens are the dirtiest in the UK, with more than three-quarters putting their sight at risk, a study has revealed.

The College of Optometrists found, across the UK, 82% of people keep their lenses in for too long and 60% sleep with them in, despite being warned against doing so.

But the 250,000 Scottish contact-lens wearers topped the list for unhygenic habits, which could lead to them contracting diseases with the potential to cause blindness.

One in seven of those surveyed lick their lenses before putting them in and a quarter put them in without washing their hands first. A further 25% admitted picking a lens off the floor and putting it back into their eye.

Scots also constituted the highest proportion in the UK for not disposing of their lenses when they should and not cleaning them between wears. Optometrists warn a corneal ulcer, which leaves a permanent scar affecting the sight, is just one possible side effect.

Dougie Moran, 54, of Partick, Glasgow, is one of the many Scottish contact wearers who is potentially putting his sight at risk. He said: "I've worn contacts for more than 20 years. I take them out of the solution, run them under the tap, put them in my mouth and then into my eyes every day. I've never had any problems, so I'm not going to stop doing it now."

The survey found men were laziest when it came to caring for their lenses. More than half had slept with them in and 44% admitted to not having washed their hands before putting them in.

But women were found to have the most unhygenic habits; nearly a quarter admitting licking lenses before putting them in their eyes. Some said they had shared lenses with friends and 16% admitted wearing lenses they had dropped on the floor.

Opticians warn seemingly harmless habits can in fact be dangerous. Tap water contains bacteria with the potential to blind wearers.

The college advised lens wearers to use only the solutions recommended by their opticians and to keep lenses clean.

Kevin Lewis, college president, said: "We tend to take our eye health for granted. We need to appreciate treating them carelessly may well cause problems in the future."