What Are the Do’s and Don’ts of Contact Lens Care?

Wearing contact lenses needs to be done with extra attention and care. These small medical devices correct multiple fields of vision but you need to know how to use them. Listed below are some dos and don’ts of wearing contacts:

Do’s

• DO wash your hands. Before touching the lens, your hands must be absolutely clean. It is better to use a mild, fragrance-free soap to avoid eye irritation or infection. Also, when drying your hands, use a lint-free cloth to prevent unnecessary lint accumulation in your lenses. Always make sure to properly clean your lens case.
• Only use solutions prescribed by your eye care professional. Not all contact lens are compatible with all solutions. Never top off old solutions with new ones.
• DO blink slowly and gently after your contacts are fully in place.
• DO contact your eye care specialist immediately if you notice any unusual eye discharge or irritation and redness.
• DO discard any disposable lenses. Be sure to save the expiration date of your contacts lenses and solutions on your mobile phone or write it on a custom writable wristband. Write-on bracelets are available online and you can get them within 24 hours.
• DO adhere to the schedule recommended by your eye doctor. Remember that wearing contacts for more than seven or eight hours a day can actually destroy your eyesight as they reduce the amount of oxygen reaching your eye. So make sure you give them a break.
• DO wear protective glasses when riding a bike, swimming, or hiking, to prevent dirt or dust from entering into your eyes and causing severe damage.
• DO take extra care when putting on makeup:
• Apply make up only if you are used to your lenses. Your eyes might get watery immediately after inserting your lens and when that water is mixed with makeup, it can become a real mess.
• It is best to avoid applying liner along the inner water lines.
• Remove the lenses first before you start removing the makeup.

Don’ts

• If your lens falls down, DON’T use it without disinfecting it first.
• DON’T wear lenses if your eyes are already irritated or red.
• Putting the lens in your mouth to clean them off is a big NO.
• DON’T ever use tap water when you are running out of lens solution.
• DON’T rub your eyes while wearing your contacts because it can cause severe nerve damage and devastate your eyes.
• DON’T lose your focus. You need to pay special attention to avoid possible mix-ups with the right and left lenses because once that happens, it is really difficult to tell them apart.
• DON’T wear contacts in overheated places like barbeque parties, to the beach and other places where there is too much heat.

This article is not based on advices or recommendations from a doctor. It only aims to give you a basic idea about the do’s and don’ts of handling contact lenses. It is based on my online research, personal opinion, and situations from my own life. Always consult your eye care professional!