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Home > Eye Care >Caring for your Contact Lenses
Caring for your Contact Lenses
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Basic Instructions
For continued safe and comfortable wearing of your lenses, it is important that you first clean and rinse, then disinfect [and neutralize (for hydrogen peroxide systems)] your lenses after each removal, using the care regimen recommended by your eye care practitioner. Cleaning and rinsing are necessary to remove mucus, secretions, films or deposits which may have accumulated during wearing. The ideal time to clean your lenses is immediately after removing them. Disinfecting is necessary to destroy harmful germs.
You should adhere to a recommended care regimen. Failure to follow the regimen may result in development of serious ocular complications, as discussed in the 'Warnings' section.
If you require only vision correction, but will not or cannot adhere to a recommended care regimen for your lenses, or are unable to place and remove lenses or have someone available to place and remove them, you should not attempt to get and wear contact lenses.
When you first get your lenses, be sure to put the lenses on and remove them while you are in your eye care practitioner's office. At that time you will be provided with a recommended cleaning and disinfection regimen and instructions and warnings for lens care, handling, cleaning and disinfection. Your eye care practitioner should instruct you about appropriate and adequate procedures and products for your use.For safe contact lens wear, you should know and always practice your lens care routine
- Always wash, rinse and dry hands before handling contact lenses.
- Always use fresh unexpired lens care solution.
- Use the recommended system of lens care, chemical (not heat), and carefully follow instructions on solution labeling. Different solutions cannot always be used together, and not all solutions are safe for use with all lenses. Do not alternate or mix lens care systems unless indicated on solution labeling.
- Always remove, clean, rinse and disinfect your lenses according to the schedule prescribed by your eye care practitioner. The use of any cleaning solution does not substitute for disinfection.
- Do not use saliva or anything other than the recommended solutions for lubricating or rewetting your lenses. Do not put lenses in your mouth.
- Lenses prescribed on the frequent replacement program should be thrown away after the recommended wearing period prescribed by your eye care practitioner.
- Never rinse your lenses in water from the tap. There are two reasons for this:
a. Tap water contains many impurities that can contaminate or damage your lenses and may lead to eye infection or injury.
b. You might lose your lens down the drain.- Your eye care practitioner should recommend a care system that is appropriate for your Contact Lens. Each lens care product contains specific directions for use and important safety information, which you should read and carefully follow.
Note: Some solutions may have more than one function, which will be indicated on the label. Read the label on the solution bottle and follow instructions.
- Clean one lens first (always the same lens first to avoid mixups), rinse the lens thoroughly with recommended saline or disinfecting solution to remove the cleaning solution, mucus and film from the lens surface. Follow the instructions provided in the cleaning solution labeling. Put that lens into the correct chamber of the lens storage case. Then repeat the procedure for the second lens.
- After cleaning, disinfect lenses using the system recommended by your eye care practitioner and/or the lens manufacturer. Follow the instructions provided in the disinfection solution labeling.
- To store lenses, disinfect and leave them in the closed/unopened case until ready to wear. If lenses are not to be used immediately following disinfection, you should consult the package insert or your eye care practitioner for information on storage of your lenses.
- Always keep your lenses completely immersed in a recommended disinfecting solution when the lenses are not being worn. If you discontinue wearing your lenses, but plan to begin wearing them again after a few weeks, ask your eye care practitioner for a recommendation on how to store your lenses.
- Contact Lenses cannot be heat (thermally) disinfected.
- After removing your lenses from the lens case, empty and rinse the lens storage case with solution(s) recommended by the lens case manufacturer; then allow the lens case to air dry. When the case is used again, refill it with fresh storage solution. Replace lens case at regular intervals.
- Your eye care practitioner may recommend a lubricating/rewetting solution for your use. Lubricating/rewetting solutions can be used to wet (lubricate) your lenses while you are wearing them to make them more comfortable.
Care For A Sticking (Non-moving) Lens
If a lens sticks (stops moving) on your eye, apply a few drops of the recommended lubricating solution. You should wait until the lens begins to move freely on the eye before removing it. If non-movement of the lens continues, you should IMMEDIATELY consult your eye care practitioner.
Chemical (Not Heat) Disinfection
• Clean the contact lenses with a recommended cleaning solution and thoroughly rinse them with a recommended rinsing solution.
• After cleaning, to disinfect, carefully follow the instructions accompanying the disinfecting solution in the care regimen recommended by the lens manufacturer or the eye care practitioner.
• When using hydrogen peroxide lens care systems, lenses must be neutralized before wearing. Follow the recommendations on the hydrogen peroxide system labeling.
• Thoroughly rinse lenses with a fresh solution recommended for rinsing before inserting and wearing, or follow the instructions on the disinfection solution labeling.
• Do not heat the disinfection solution and lenses.
• Leave the lenses in the unopened storage case until ready to put on the eyes.
Caution: Lenses that are chemically disinfected may absorb ingredients from the disinfecting solution which may be irritating to the eyes. A thorough rinse in fresh sterile saline solution prior to placement on the eye should reduce the potential for irritation.
Lens Case Cleaning and Maintenance
Contact lens cases can be a source of bacteria growth. Lens cases should be emptied, cleaned, rinsed with solutions recommended by the lens case manufacturer and allowed to air dry. Lens cases should be replaced at regular intervals, as recommended by the lens case manufacturer or your eye care practitioner.
Care For A Dehydrated Lens
If a soft, hydrophilic contact lens is exposed to air while off the eye, it may become dry and brittle. If this happens, dispose of the lens and use a fresh new one.
Emergencies
If chemicals of any kind (household products, gardening solutions, laboratory chemicals, etc.) are splashed into your eyes: FLUSH EYES IMMEDIATELY WITH TAP WATER AND IMMEDIATELY CONTACT YOUR EYE CARE PRACTITIONER OR VISIT A HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM WITHOUT DELAY.
How Can You Tell if a Contact Lens Is Inside Out?
Whether you are a new contact lens wearer or you have been using them for years to correct your vision, you may be wondering how can you tell if a contact lens is inside out. If you suspect you may be wearing your contact lenses incorrectly or they just feel uncomfortable, here are some ways you can determine this to avoid the problem in the future.
Look at the Lens
Before placing the lens in your eye, hold it on the tip of your index finger and look at it carefully from the side. Is it shaped like the letter "U" or it is flared on the sides, like a soup bowl? The correct shape of a soft contact lens should be like the letter "U". If its shaped like a soup bowl, then its inside out. Some people also recommend the "taco test" whereby you gently squeeze the lens so that the edges touch. If they touch completely, then the lens is right side out. If the edges flare out and dont touch fully, then its inside out. Simply flip the lens around and it will be positioned correctly for wearing.
Another way to determine if your contact lens is right side out is to look at it from the top. This is especially important if you are wearing the colored enhanced type. The edge of a tinted lens will be look very blue. If it looks greenish, then it is inverted and you should carefully flip the lens around in order to wear it properly.Find the Engraving
Some contact lenses have factory engraving on them, done by special lasers. This can include the manufacturer information, model number, brand name or grade of materials used. While this is not detected by the human eye when wearing, it can be of help when trying to determine if you are wearing your contact lenses correctly. Some brands have a "1-2-3" engraved on them, so you would make sure this is the side facing downwards on your finger as you place the contact into your eye. If you can read this label, then the lens is inside out. You can remove it safely without damaging your eyes and flip it around for replacement.
Ask the Professional
Of course, please check with your eye doctor if you experience any discomfort with your contacts. They can often help you more with this perplexing problem or demonstrate to you further what to do. Common sense should tell you if you are wearing your contact lens incorrectly. If they feel uncomfortable or you feel slight pressure on your eyes, its probably because you have placed the lenses incorrectly on your eyes. You may want to practice a little when first getting a new set of contact lenses to see what works best for you and to get used to the feel of them. Once you do, you should enjoy months of enjoyable experience with your new lenses.
If you have vision or eye health concerns, and would like answers, please contact Good Eye Optometry for an appointment.Good Eye Optometry offer a full range of optometric services including comprehensive eye examinations, dilations, contact lens fittings, diagnosis / treatment / prescriptions for various ocular diseases, consultation / co-management for LASIK and other refractive surgeries.
Our highly trained staff is dedicated to accommodating your needs to the best of our ability and making your visit as pleasant as possible. Our facility also offers an extensive selection of designer eyeglass frames, sunglasses, prescription sunglasses, contact lenses, and other eye care products for men, women and/or kids. We carry over a thousand designer optical frames such as Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, Salt, Barton Perreira, Alain Mikli, Missoni, Gianfranco Ferre, Tom Ford, Lafont, Gotti, Ray ban, Oko by Oko, Evolution Art, Seraphin, Dolce and Gabanna.
Located at Brentwood, Los Angeles , CA, our facility is a only short drive away from Beverly Hills, Westwood, Santa Monica, Sunset, West Los Angeles, UCLA, Sunset, Beverly Glen, San Vicente, Bundy, Wilshire and Pacific Palisades or zip codes 90025, 90024, 90403, 90077, 90272 and 90404.
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