Contact Lens Care – Advice from an Experienced Optometry Team
Contact Lens Care: Advice from an Experienced Optometry Team
Making the transition from glasses to contact lenses can be an exciting step. But, it is important to understand that the care of your contact lenses can have an impact on the safety of your eyes. Failing to clean the lenses on your glasses might make it hard to see, but it won’t harm your eyes. On the other hand, the care of your contact lenses could increase the risk of eye infections and other problems.
When someone starts using contact lenses, our team at Village Eyecare carries the responsibility to ensure that you learn about to properly wash, store, and wear the contact lenses that you are using.
Contact Lens Rules
Since the lenses come in contact with the surface of your eyes, you need to be careful to avoid contamination and possible infection. Hygiene is a high priority! Here are a few basic rules that should always be followed when you are using contact lenses:
- Wash your hands before touching your eyes or the contact lenses
- Use fresh contact lens solution when cleaning and storing your contacts
- Replace your contact lens case every three months
- Wash the contact lens case with a solution between uses
- Never use water to wash or store your contact lenses or storage case
- Follow the recommended usage for the types of contact lenses that you are wearing
- Always replace contacts after you have worn them for the suggested amount of time
These basic steps can become part of your daily routine, helping to reduce the risk of an infection due to contamination of the contact lenses.
Reducing the Risk of Eye Irritation
You also need to consider your behavior when the contact lenses are in your eyes. There are several things that you can do to reduce the risk of irritation while wearing contact lenses. Not only do these tips improve your comfort, but they help you avoid serious problems and infections.
When you are wearing contact lenses, it is important that you try not to rub your eyes. This motion could damage or dislodge the lens. Plus, the contact of the finger to the eye could bring germs or oils to the surface of your eye which causes irritation.
Avoid dry eye problems as much as possible when wearing contact lenses. Blink often if you feel like your eyes are drying out. If needed, use eyedrops to lubricate the lenses. Also, make sure that you are drinking plenty of water throughout the day.
You should never wear the contact lenses beyond the recommended times. For example, it can be dangerous to sleep in the lenses if they aren’t designed to be overnight contacts. Removing the lenses for the night can be important to help your eyes get the oxygen that is needed. Talk to your optometrist for personalized recommendations regarding the length of time that you can use your contact lenses.
There are various types of contact lenses, which is why the recommended length of use can change. Always follow your eye doctor’s advice to ensure that you are protecting your eye health. If you have questions about your contacts, then you are welcome to contact our team at Village Eyecare. We offer four convenient locations in the greater Chicago area.