Dos and Don’ts When You Wear Contact Lenses

Just like with your prescription glasses, there are a few things you should and shouldn’t do when wearing contact lenses to ensure that you will make the most out of them. Here are a few pointers you have to keep in mind:

Do’s

• Rinse and wash your hands properly before you touch your eye or handle your lenses. Use a soap that is mild and non-cosmetic or free from fragrance or oil. Dry your hands using lint-free tissues or cloth.
• Clean the storage case of your lenses using warm soapy water at least once every week. Make sure you rinse and wipe it dry thoroughly with a clean tissue.
• Clean your lenses after using them as instructed by your optician. Use only those recommended solutions.
• Every time you handle your lenses, work on a clean and flat surface. When working in front of a sink, don’t forget to put in the plug of the sink.
• Remember how important it is to blink. Complete and regular blinking can help in keeping your lens clean and moist.
• In case you drop a lens, don’t forget to clean and rinse it before you reapply.
• Visit your optician when you experience unexplained persistent pain, redness, changes in vision, discomfort, light sensitivity, unusual eye secretions, or excessive tearing.
• Discard solutions a month after you opened them if there are still some solutions remaining.
• Ensure that your glasses are still updated so that you can use them in case you break or lose a lens, or if your optician tells you not to wear your lenses for a period of time.
• Close or take care of your eyes whenever you are using aerosol sprays or cosmetics like hairsprays while wearing contact lenses. These products might leave residual film on the lens.
• Carry the storage case and the solution with you all the time.
• Use the swimming goggles whenever you are swimming with contact lenses.
• Wear goggles or protective glasses if you’re in any situation where sand grit, dust or some foreign matter might enter your eye including gardening, bike riding, grinding or sanding, and working in the dusty environment.
• If you’ve been in a place where there’s a chance for foreign matters to enter your eyes, replace and clean your contact lenses. If you’re not sure that you’ve removed any foreign matters, call your eyecare practitioner.

Don’ts

• Expose your contact lenses or storage case to too much heat.
• Rub your eyes while wearing contact lenses.
• Mix up the lenses and a good way to avoid it is to deal with the right contact lens first always, whether removing or inserting and ensure that it’s safely on your eyes or in its storage case before attempting the left.
• Use the tap water to rinse or soak your contact lenses.
• Wear your lenses continuously if your eyes are not comfortable or unusually red.
• Place the contact lens in your mouth to wet or clean.

Continue wearing lenses if you’re not well.