Wearing Your Contact Lenses Safely

Wearing contact lenses need not be complicated and can be trouble free provided you learn to follow some simple rules and precautions. The following is a list of guidelines all contact wearers should follow for maximum comfort and safety.

• Don’t wear lenses longer than prescribed by your optician, and never wear daily lenses while sleeping.

• Never wear your lenses overnight unless recommended by your optician, and the lenses you use are specifically designed for overnight wear.

• Always wash, rinse, and dry your hands before handling lenses. Use lint free cotton towels and tissues for drying your fingers.

• Don’t put contact lenses in your mouth or use saliva to wet your lenses.

• Use only approved contact lens solutions for lubricating or wetting your lenses.

• Always use fresh solutions in your lens case when disinfecting your lenses. Do not re-use solutions.

• Consult your optician before wearing contact lenses during water activities and other sports. In some cases alternative lenses may be prescribed for such sports and hobbies.

• Never use non-sterile home-prepared saline solution. The use of home-prepared saline with contact lenses can bring about serious infections.

• Contact lens cases should be cleaned, rinsed, and allowed to air dry each time the lenses are removed. Replace the lens case frequently. Cases can be disinfected with household bleach but be sure the case is compatible with this and rinse and dry it thoroughly after cleaning.

• If your eyes become red, or irritated, painful, or abnormally light sensitive, or indeed if your vision worsens when wearing contact lenses, immediately remove the lenses and consult your optician.

• Avoid contact of your eyes and lenses with lotions, creams, sprays and other chemicals. Preferably insert your lenses before applying make-up and remove them before removing make-up. Water-based and gel-based cosmetics are less likely to damage lenses than oil-based products

• Make-up and cosmetics, especially inner lid margin eye-liner can block glands around the eyes which can result in infections, discomfort and lens deposits. Eye care practitioners can and do recommend the appropriate cosmetics and application methods to minimise such problems. Make-up counter assistants should also be aware of these facts when recommending cosmetics, eye shadow, foundation, mascara, sun block and moisturisers.

• Have your eyes examined regularly and as recommended by your contact lens practitioner.

• Contact lenses wear out with time and should be replaced on a recommended schedule as recommended by your optician and the lens manufacturer.

• Disposable lenses should be thrown away after the recommended wearing period. Daily disposable contact lenses should never be re-used.

These guidelines are not exhaustive. If you have any questions not addressed here, you should consult directly with your optician who will be able to provide detailed advice adjusted to your particular circumstances.