Contact lenses are a great way to experience clear vision if you don’t like the look or functionality of glasses. They are practically invisible but can provide crisp vision just as well as glasses.
However, the tradeoff to contacts is that you need to maintain them properly. Keep reading to learn more about following proper contact lens hygiene!
Remove Your Contacts Before Bed
Sometimes you want to get in bed after a long day. You may be tempted to leave your contacts in while you sleep when you’re tired, but it’s not a good idea.
Leaving your contacts in for too long can really hurt your eyes. Your corneas need oxygen.
While modern contacts are more breathable, they still block some air. It’s even worse when you have your eyes closed for hours.
Your eyes are at higher risk of infection when your corneas are deprived of oxygen. Do your best to make taking out your contacts, cleaning them, and storing them properly a nightly habit!
Do Not Wash Your Contacts With Water
Any time you remove your contacts from your eyes, they need to be properly sanitized. Bacteria on your contact lenses can lead to eye infections.
If not cleaned off, tiny particles can even cause scratches on your cornea. However, you should not use just any liquid to clean your contacts.
First of all, water is not perfectly clean. It contains bacteria and germs that our bodies can handle, but not always our eyes.
More importantly, though, water can cause soft contacts to change shape. The lenses can swell and stick to the eye, even causing scratches.
The only thing you should be disinfecting your contacts with is contact lens solution. This solution is specifically designed to clean your contact lenses.
Once rinsed and gently rubbed with the contact lens solution, store them in a contact lens case with fresh solution every time.
Keep Your Hands Clean
Any time you handle your contacts, you should clean your hands first. If you don’t, you could risk infection.
Use soap and water and dry your hands with a clean towel. Afterward, you can rub each contact with your fingers, rinse them with solution, and soak them in contact lens solution.
Storing your contact lenses in contact lens solution is essential to keep them completely hydrated. You should also handle the solution bottle carefully.
Make sure the tip of the bottle does not touch any other surfaces or things. Keep the bottle closed tightly whenever you are not using it.
Don’t Forget About the Case
The case that you keep your contacts in also needs to stay clean. Rinse it often with the contact lens solution, not water.
If the case is damaged, be sure to replace it. Otherwise, plan to get a new one every three months or so.
There are many different types of contact lens cleaning solutions and storage options. If you are unsure which is best for you, talk with your eye doctor.
If you are considering giving contact lenses a try, schedule an appointment at Levin Eyecare to determine if you are a candidate.
Do you want to learn more about how you can practice good contact lens hygiene? Schedule an appointment at Levin Eyecare in Baltimore, MD, today!