Contact lenses are a great option for vision correction, especially when you’re very active! But it’s not all fun and games– if not treated with proper care, they can cause eye infection or injury. Always remember that contacts are medical devices and require education and a little bit of training to wear properly. As eye care providers, it’s important to educate wearers on the proper wear and care of their lenses.
Contact lenses are a medical device that does require a prescription from your eye care provider- even if they are not for vision correction. Your provider will assess the health of your eyes and determine your prescription to ensure best use.
The first step to ensuring a healthy process for contact lenses is to always wash hands with a mild soap before handling your contacts. When inserting lenses, use a lint-free cloth so that no foreign bodies make it onto the lens. Avoid using oily soaps and moisturizers for this same reason.
We love daily disposable contacts because the care is easy! When you take out your lenses, you can immediately dispose of them. However, if using extended wear contacts (2 week or monthly lenses) it is important to properly clean and store them for another use!
To care for extended wear contacts, be sure to rinse and wash after each use with a saline solution (NOT tap water or saliva!), rub your contacts with this solution in your hand to rise off debris and mucus from the lens.
When removing contacts, move the lens into the white of your eye before pinching to remove. This practice can prevent corneal abrasions and other injuries to the eye.
If you are interested in wearing contacts, or have questions about proper care for your lenses, call our office at 414-727-5888.