Contact Lens Care

Millions of people wear contact lenses. Contact lenses offer real benefits to wearers in terms of convenience and vision improvement. Wearing contact lenses can be a great alternative to eyeglasses. There are many practical advantages related to it socially and recreationally and it also helps while playing sports.

There are 3 types of contact lenses: hard lenses, rigid gas permeable lenses, and soft lenses. Conventional ones can be worn for one to 2 years, while disposable ones are generally worn for between 2 and 8 weeks.

Caring for your contact lenses is important for the health of your eyes. Uncared for lenses can transmit infections. Contact lenses are perfectly safe to use provided common sense and simple precautions are used. Here are a few tips to take good care and to extend the life of your contact lenses while protecting the safety and health of your eyes:

Do's

• Always wash your hands with a mild soap and dry them with a lint-free towel before handling your lenses.
• Clean, rinse, and disinfect your lenses each time you remove them. Follow the instructions that come with the lenses.
• Have an up-to-date pair of spectacles for when you need to remove your lenses.
• Only use sterile commercially prepared and approved contact lens care products. Use fresh solution each time you place your lenses in a lens storage case. Always keep all solution bottles closed when not in use.
• Take care of your lens case. Always clean your lens case daily and let it air dry. Get a new case every three months.
• Insert contact lenses into your eyes before applying makeup, particularly eyeliner, eyeshadow and mascara. Take care not to get makeup on the lenses. When removing makeup, remove the contacts beforehand.
• If you use eye medicines, leave your lenses out for about 30 minutes after putting in eyedrops.
• Replace your contact lenses as recommended by your eye care professional as well as the manufacturer of the lens.
• Remember to remove your lenses whenever you go to bed.
• Throw away contact lenses that are faulty, damaged or dried out.
• If you develop an eye infection, remove the contact lenses immediately. Also, discontinue its use until the infection has been completely treated.
• Schedule yearly appointments with your eye care practitioner.

Don'ts

• Never use tap water, bottled water, or salt water made at home to store or rinse your lenses. It can cause infections.
• Don't spit on your lenses to clean them. The bacteria that are naturally present in your mouth may cause an eye infection.
• Don't allow soaps, cosmetics, or other substances to come into contact with your lenses.
• Don't wear your contact lenses in the presence of harmful or irritating vapors or fumes.
• Don't touch the tip of a contact lens care solution bottle to any surface, including your finger or your contact lens. It may lead to contamination
• Never wear torn or scratched contacts. This can cause serious corneal damage. To look for abrasions, dark marks or scratches, hold up your contacts to the light and look.
• Don't let anyone else wear your contacts. You could end up passing or acquiring a disease.
• Don't sleep in daily wear lenses because it may increase your chance of infection or irritation.
• Don't mix different cleaners or drops.
• Don't use the solution after the expiration date marked on the bottle.
• Don't use the lenses after the recommended period. Replace the contact lenses in time to avoid any harm.

Never ignore symptoms of eye irritation or infection that may be associated with wearing contact lenses. If you are experiencing any problems with your vision, remove your lens and consult your eye care professional immediately. Take proper care and see everything clearly!