Posted by: Eye Health Northwest in Optical Shop on June 2, 2023
Wearing contacts is much easier than wearing glasses, yet greater responsibility comes with that convenience. Practicing good contact lens hygiene is essential to maintaining eye health.
Poor hygiene can introduce bacteria into the eye that can lead to infection and sometimes even damage your vision. Keep reading to learn eight tips for having good contact lens hygiene!
1. Regular and Proper Hand Washing
There is no substitute for thorough handwashing using soap and water. Never insert or remove your contacts without washing your hands, and avoid touching your eyes if you haven’t washed your hands.
Your fingers touch hundreds of surfaces throughout the day. Don’t let them introduce any unwanted bacteria into your eye.
2. Proper Disinfection and Cleaning of Contact Lenses
When you remove your lenses from your eyes, that’s the beginning of a process that should be second nature to all contact lens wearers. Disinfecting and cleaning your lenses removes anything that’s been introduced and ensures that your contacts will be clean and safe to wear.
It’s important that you use the proper solutions for both.
3. Proper Storing of Contact Lenses
Storage is a chance for bacteria to multiply if you haven’t cleaned your lenses or you’re reusing old solution. Make sure you clean your contact lens cases or vials and that you change the solutions and place clean lenses into storage.
4. Wearing as Instructed
Contact lenses are designed for specific uses. Daily wear lenses are single-use only, whereas other types of lenses can be worn longer.
Only wear your contact lenses for their specified length of time. Don’t try to reuse daily lenses again.
5. Replace Them as Instructed
Contact lenses do need replacing, even if your prescription hasn’t changed. Just like anything else, they encounter wear and tear, and when it’s time to replace them, don’t try to wear them longer to save money.
Lenses that are past their prime are an added risk for introducing infection.
6. Avoid Wearing Them For Too Long
Your eyes need a break, and wearing contact lenses every single hour of the day if you’re going past the recommended length of time isn’t a good idea. Preserving your vision means giving your eyes a chance to be without lenses.
An evening in wearing glasses is a treat for your eyes. Additionally, it is very important that you take your contact lenses out before bed.
Don’t sleep in them, as that can dry out your eyes, irritate your eyes, and cause damage upon removal.
7. Do Not Share Your Contact Lenses
Sharing contact lenses is a bad idea. Your prescription is designed for your eyes only, and wearing someone else’s contacts can irritate your eyes.
And, of course, there’s the chance of introducing bacteria or infection into your eye.
8. Avoid Swimming With Contact Lenses
It may seem convenient to swim in contact lenses, especially if you keep your head above water, but water and contact lenses don’t mix. There’s a chance they’ll dislodge and slip off or that they’ll come loose, and something may get underneath.
Additionally, the chlorine in pool water isn’t healthy for your contact lenses as it doesn’t kill the germs that cause infection and can further irritate your eyes.
Do you want to learn more ways you can practice good contact lens hygiene? Schedule an appointment at EyeHealth Northwest in Happy Valley, OR, today!
