There is no doubt that contact lenses are a great alternative to wearing glasses, whether it is for sport, a special occasion, or just to be glasses-free. It is vital to properly care for your contact lenses to ensure your eyes remain healthy and you maintain clear vision.
1. Wash Your Hands
Before handling your contact lenses or touching your eyes, washing your hands thoroughly with soap and water is always essential. Air drying your hands or using a paper towel is best.
2. Clean Your Lenses Daily
If you wear reusable lenses, clean your contact lenses after every wear. Use the contact lens cleaning solution (multipurpose solution) that your optometrist recommended to you. If you use a multipurpose solution, place a drop or two of the cleaning solution on the lens and gently rub the contact lens with your fingertips. This removes the debris and protein that builds up during the day. Following this, rinse the contact lens with the multipurpose solution for 5 seconds on both sides, then place the lens in fresh solution in the contact lens case to disinfect overnight.
3. Case Care
While it is essential to clean your lenses, it is equally important to clean your cases. Every morning after you insert your lenses, tip out the ‘dirty’ contact lens solution. Place a few drops of clean solution in the case and gently rub the case with a cotton bud. Rinse the case again and let it air dry, with the lids off, upside down on a paper towel. Replace your case every three months.
4. Follow the Recommended Replacement Schedule
Replace your lenses as often as your optometrist tells you to. Disposable contact lenses fall into four general categories.
- Daily disposables: Discard after each use.
- Fortnightly lenses: Replace every two weeks.
- Monthly lenses: Replace monthly.
- Conventional lenses: These lenses last for an extended period, generally every three to twelve months. Your optometrist will advise you of the replacement schedule, which is critical to adhere to.
5. Avoid Water Contact
While our water looks clean, it can contain microorganisms that can cause severe eye infections that can sometimes be sight-threatening. It is crucial to never clean or store your contact lenses in water. While contact lenses are a good option for water sports (especially daily disposable lenses), removing and cleaning the contact lenses is best and then wearing your glasses afterwards once you have left the water.
6. Don’t Sleep in Your Lenses
Unless the lenses are approved for overnight wear, and your optometrist has advised you that it is safe to do so, do not sleep in your lenses. The risk of eye infections is dramatically reduced if you remove the lenses, clean them overnight, and give your eyes a ‘rest’.
7. Do not wear lenses if your eyes are red and sore
If your eyes are red and sore, this indicates that they need a break, or it could be a sign of something more serious. Avoid wearing your contact lenses, and wear your glasses instead. If your symptoms persist, it is best to see your optometrist.
8. Regular Checkups
Visit your optometrist in Canberra regularly for checkups to ensure your contact lenses are fitting and correcting, the prescription is up to date, and, most importantly, your eyes remain healthy.
The Bottom Line
If you wear contact lenses regularly, you should have your eye checked routinely at least once a year to ensure your eye health is optimal and safe to continue wearing contact lenses. Manufacturers often release new contact lenses with better, more biocompatible materials over time, which you may benefit from comfort and vision. Even if your prescription and vision haven’t changed, sometimes changing the contact lens material will provide added comfort and benefit from the latest contact lens technology.