Contact lenses provide comfort and flexibility for individuals who need vision correction. Imagine having your entire field of vision in focus, and being able to see clearly without your glasses fogging up or sliding down your nose. If you have wanted to make the switch to contacts, but are afraid that they are difficult to maintain, you should know that good contact lens care is easy if you follow a few simple guidelines:
Dos:
- Lather Up: Washing your hands thoroughly before handling contact lenses seems like a common sense suggestion, but you’d be surprised how easy it is to skip this simple, but important step, if you’re running late for work. Hand washing prevents the spread of bacteria that can cause nasty eye infections and leave you wearing glasses full-time while you heal.
- See your Eye Doctor Regularly: Regular eye examinations allow your doctor to monitor changes in your vision, and to make sure that your lenses fit and wear properly. Even if you don’t think your vision has changed, regular checkups protect your vision and keep your eyes healthy.
- Use Fresh Solution: You may be tempted to hold onto your bottle of saline solution a few weeks (or months) past the expiration date because you hate to discard a bottle that is nearly full, but it’s a bad idea. Using solution that has bypassed its expiration date makes the solution vulnerable to contamination of the solution and puts you at risk for infection or even blindness.
- Care for your Case: Each time you use your contact lenses, be sure to properly clean and air dry your contact lens cases. Using fresh disinfecting solution, rinse out the lens case, shake it remove the excess liquid, and let it air dry. Fluid left sitting in your contact cases can become a breeding site for microorganisms that may irritate your eyes or cause infection.
Don’ts:
- Sharing Isn’t Always Caring: If you have a friend who is also a contact lens wearer, you may think it’s alright to share an extra case, an open bottle of solution, or even a spare set of lenses (if you have a similar prescription), but it’s risky. Each individual’s eyes have unique properties that are assessed by their optometrist. Not only could wearing someone else’s lenses damage your eyes, sharing cases or supplies can lead to painful bacterial infections.
- Sleep in Pajamas, Not Your Contacts: Unless you have been prescribed contacts that are intended for extended wear, it is important to remove and clean contact lenses at night. Your eyes need rest and oxygen to stay healthy.
- Skip the Fancy Stuff: Using hand soap that contains fragrances or oils can leave a film on hands that can transfer to your lenses, causing smudges or irritation.
Alpine Eye Care serves Central Northern Michigan by providing comprehensive eye care for all stages of life, from vision correction to surgery. Our patient-centered practice is home to the only two board-certified eye surgeons in Northern Michigan. Call 1.877.SEE.2020 or click here to schedule your consultation and see the world in a whole new light.