Contact Lens Care

Once you’ve gone to the eye doctor and had your eyes checked out, you might be given a new prescription for modern contact lenses. If you’re lucky enough to be able to wear contacts, there are a few rights and wrongs should know about the wear, care and maintenance of your new contacts.

One basic thing to remember is that not all contact lens solutions work for all eyes, and you may have to try out a few different contact solutions to find out if you are allergic to any of them and which ones might work the best for your eyes. You should have learned the proper method of putting your contacts in from your eye doctor, but before you ever pickup a contact lens you must make sure that your hands are clean and remember that any residue from soaps, skin lotions, or any other household chemicals that get on your contact lenses will cause problems. If you experience irritation, pain, or blurred vision, you are doing something wrong, and the first thing to check is to make sure your contacts are spotlessly clean.

Assuming your lenses are clean and there are no irritation problems, you can begin wearing your new contacts for the proper amount of time for your particular contacts and as prescribed by your doctor. Your eye care professional will also instruct you on how to take your contacts out and how to store them. You may be instructed to use a wetting agent or saline solution to keep your eyes lubricated while you are wearing your contacts. It can take a few days for your eyes to become accustomed to wearing your contacts at first and you should remember to give your eyes a rest from wearing the contacts at the end of your day.

If you have trouble remembering when to change or remove your contact lenses, you can create a chart or schedule to hang on the wall to remind you. You should always wear your contacts only for the amount of time prescribed; wearing them longer might save some money but could put your eyesight at risk for problems later on. Unless you have been prescribed extended wear contacts by your doctor, you should always remove your contacts before you go to sleep at night. Sleeping with contacts in your eyes can cause corneal ulcers over time. When you first begin wearing contact lenses your eyes may become more sensitive to sunlight. If it becomes difficult to wear your contacts on bright sunny days you can wear sunglasses to reduce the discomfort.

In addition to wearing your contact lenses as suggested by your eye doctor, you should also clean and store them as prescribed as well. Don’t mix and match different types of cleaning solutions because specific types of contact lenses may need specific types of solutions. Always use only the eye care products that your eye doctor has recommended for your use. Rinse your contact lenses carefully using only the recommended solutions and let them air dry. Do not ever use saliva or tap water on your contacts because of the risk of contamination with microorganisms that can cause eye damage or infection. Contact lens solutions can also become contaminated if you let the tip of the bottle come in contact with any thing that is not clean, including your own fingers.

Everyone who wears contact lenses should always have a pair of back-up the correct prescription eyeglasses handy for use anytime you need to take your lenses out, or in case something happens to your contacts. Anytime you experience burning sensations, redness, or excessive tearing, you should remove your contact lenses immediately and leave them out until you have consulted with your optometrist. Remember that good hygiene is the most important single factor when it comes to the proper use, maintenance and storage of your contact lenses.