Avoiding Common Problems

Overall, contact lenses provide a very safe and effective option for vision correction. By following a few simple guidelines, you can help to ensure proper lens care and healthy eyes.

Guidelines for Proper Contact Lens Use and Care

General

• Wear your contacts only for the length of time recommended by your Contact Lens Specialist, even if they still feel comfortable.
• Never skip steps in lens care. Cleaning alone is not enough. Many care systems do not disinfect without the cleaning step.
• See your eye care practitioner for regular check-ups.
• Do not count on your contacts for eye protection. Wear safety glasses any time your eyes might be at risk.
• Never wear lenses if your eye is red or painful.
• Have a well-lit mirror handy whenever you insert or remove lenses.
• Do not sleep or nap while wearing your contacts unless your practitioner approves.
• Do not use any eye medications without practitioner approval.

Cleaning

• Remove, clean, and disinfect your lenses at the intervals prescribed.
• Before touching your lenses, wash your hands thoroughly with a mild soap, rinse completely, and dry with a lint-free towel.
• Avoid excessive handling of your lenses.
• Develop the habit of always working with one lens first to avoid mixing up left and right.
• If a lens becomes uncomfortable or a stinging sensation occurs when it is inserted, remove it. Rinse thoroughly with a recommended rinsing solution and insert again. If the discomfort persists, remove the lens immediately, and consult your eye care specialist.

Lens Care Products

• Protect your solutions from contamination. Close bottles tightly, and never touch the dispensing spouts to any surface.
• Never re-use solutions.
• To avoid a potentially serious mistake, do not store your contact lens supplies with medications or other cleaners.
• Do not use expired products.
• Make sure you always have an ample supply of lens care products on hand. Never store lenses in tap or distilled water.
• Use only the case specifically provided for lens storage.

Lifestyle/Environmental

• Never swim while wearing your contacts.
• Avoid wearing lenses in the presence of chemicals, unusual air pollution, or intense heat.
• Do not get lotions, creams, or sprays in your eyes or on your lenses.
• Apply eye cosmetics after you insert your lenses.
• Remove cosmetics after you remove your lenses.
• Water-based cosmetics are less likely to damage lenses than oil-based products.

Adapted from Drug Store News, June 28, 1999