Contact lenses are an excellent option for people who do not want to wear glasses to correct their eyesight. Contacts do require a more advanced level of care, however, as they are coming into contact directly with your eye. Cleanliness it incredibly important; failure to maintain good contact lens hygiene will result in infection.
The care of contact lenses is a more serious issue than most people anticipate. In this article, we’ll be talking about how to properly care for your contacts.
What is a contact lens?
Contact lenses are an option for treatment of refractive error. Contact lenses can correct a multitude of vision problems, such as astigmatism, nearsightedness, farsightedness, and presbyopia.
Contact lenses are made out of various air permeable soft polymers. These polymers allow oxygen to get to the eye at varying rates. Not every contact lens is created equal, and some polymers allow more oxygen flow to the eye. Our doctor will choose a brand of contacts that has good permeability, so you won’t end up suffocating your eye.
Basics of Cleaning Soft Contact Lenses
Soft contact lenses are very easy to clean, and generally do not require any harsh chemicals to do so. There are a number of multipurpose solutions on the market to help you clean your lenses and cases. With multipurpose solutions, it is important to give your soft lenses a little rub to try to dislodge any protein or other build up on the lens. Place your lens, one at a time, in the palm of your hand and squirt some solution on them. Rub your lens gently in a back and forth motion and then place it in its case, which you’ve filled with fresh solution. In the morning after you’ve inserted your contacts, discard the remaining solution and rinse your case with fresh solution. Place your case upside down in a clean area to air dry.
You never want to use water on your lenses or cases. Water from the tap is not sterile, and can introduce lots of different bacteria and viruses to the delicate ecosystem of your contact lens case. Always use a sterile solution to clean your lenses and case.
Tips for Healthy Contact Lens Wear
Once you’ve been fit with contact lenses, you will need to learn how to properly clean and care for them. Here are our top tips for success:
*Do not wear your contact lenses longer than your doctor says.
* Always remove contact lenses when showering, swimming, or bathing.
* Wash your hands with soap and water before handling your contact lenses.
* NEVER use regular water or saliva to re-wet your contact lenses.
* Clean your lenses based on your doctor's instructions.
* Never reuse old solution. Always dump out old solution and rinse with clean solution
before filling your case.
* Replace your contact lens case at least every 3 months.
* When in doubt, call your doctor’s office for questions and care tips.