Contact lenses are a great alternative to wearing glasses, as long as you take care of them and your eyes while using them.
Think about it. Contact lenses are a medical device that you insert into and wear on the surface of your eyes. They should be in optimal condition, fit properly, and be prescribed by a licensed eye doctor. They also need to be kept clean and disinfected to avoid eye infections and other problems related to contact lens use.
Contact Lens Wear Tips:
- Always use fresh, unexpired contact lens solution
- Never wear daily wear contact lenses while you sleep
- Saliva is not a sterile solution. Do not put your contacts in your mouth in an attempt to lubricate or wet them
- Do not attempt to recycle contact lens solution. Once you have used it one time, it is no longer sterile. Always use fresh, sterile solution.
- Only store contact lens solution in its original container.\
- Do not rinse or store contacts in tap, distilled, or sterile water.
- Remove contact lenses before taking a shower, using a hot tub, swimming, or doing anything where water gets in your eyes.
- Before touching your contact lenses, wash your hands with soap and water and dry them with a lint-free towel. Make sure your hands don’t have any traces of perfume, oils, or lotions. If they get on your lenses, your eyes could get irritated or your vision might be blurry.
- Put on eye makeup after you put in your lenses. Take them out before you remove makeup.
- Re-wetting drops and saline solution are not disinfectants. Do not use them to disinfect your lenses.
- Use a “rub and Rinse” cleaning method. Then rinse your lenses with solution before storing them.
- Make sure you keep your solution closed tightly and the tip of the bottle does not touch any surface.
- Before storing your contact lenses, rinse the case with sterile solution rather than tap water. Then leave the case open to air dry.
- Replace your case at least every 3 months, or right away if it gets cracked or damaged.
- If your lenses have been stored for 30 days or longer, re-disinfect them before wearing.
- Never wear someone else’s contact lenses. And do not wear contact lenses that are not prescribed by an eye doctor such as cosmetic or decorative contact lenses used to change the color of your eyes or for occasions such as Halloween, etc.
- Don’t swim with your contacts in. You could get an infection. Wear goggles or a swim mask.
Your cornea can change shape and contact lenses can warp over time. To make sure your lenses fit properly and the prescription is right for you, see your eye doctor regularly – an annual eye examination is recommended.
If your contact lenses are too old or do not fit well, they could scratch your eye and lead to problems with your cornea that may affect or threaten your vision.
Certain eye drops used for redness or irritation of the eyes, could cause problems with your contacts. Therefore it is best to only use lubricating or re-wetting drops recommended by your doctor. If you are going to use eye drops for redness or irritation of the eyes, remove your contact lenses first. And if you experience any type of redness or irritation that persists, make an appointment to see your eye doctor. If any of these symptoms exist, remove your lenses and see your eye doctor right away:
- very red and/or painful
- excessive watering
- sensitivity to light
- itching
- blurry vision, reduced sharpness of vision
- discharge (ooze or pus) coming from your eye
- feeling of sand or grit in your eye
- dry eyes
- rainbows or halos around objects
To safely wear contact lenses, you must care for them properly and replace them when needed.
