Caring for your Contact Lenses

 

Follow these guidelines for good contact lens care to protect the safety and health of your eyes.

• Before handling a contact lens it is important to wash your hands with warm water and soap. Dry your hands with a clean towel.
• Any time a lens is removed from the eye, it should be properly disinfected.
• Safety is enhanced significantly by rubbing and rinsing contact lenses both prior to and following storage.
• Use the lens solution provided specifically for your contact lenses and rub the lens between the palm of one hand and a finger for five seconds on each side.
• Rinse the lens thoroughly with sterile solution. Never use tap water to rinse or store your contact lenses. Water is a common source of very infectious and potentially damaging micro-organisms that can produce sight threatening infections.
• Wear your contact lenses as prescribed. Your eye care practitioner will recommend a wearing schedule specific to the type of contact lenses you have selected. Only wear your contact lenses for the time recommended.
• Place the clean lens in your container and fill the container with the fresh disinfectant solution provided for your lenses. Do not re-use solution in the case or top-up with solution. Replace your lens case frequently, every time you open a new bottle of solution.
• Clean your lens case after each use with sterile solution and allow to air dry.
• Always read the directions provided for the use and care of your contact lenses and use the appropriate solutions as recommended by your eye care practitioner.
• When contact lenses have been stored for more than seven days, regardless of whether peroxide or multi-purpose solutions are used, lenses should be effectively re-disinfected before the next use.
• If irritation or infection occurs (signs include redness, burning, or excessive tearing) remove your contact lenses immediately and discontinue wearing until you see your eye care practitioner.
• Never wear another person’s contact lenses, especially if they have been worn before. Using other people’s contact lenses may spread infection.
• Call your eye care practitioner immediately if you have any questions or concerns.