Caring For Your Contact Lenses

By Mescheca C. Bunyon, OD

Keep your eyes safe! Take time to care for your contact lenses. Here are some tips for keeping your eyes healthy and comfortable while you wear contacts.

What To Do

Wash and rinse your hands before touching your lenses.
Use only the lens cleaners and eye drops that your eye doctor suggests.
Follow the directions that came with your lenses, lens cleaner, and eye drops.
Take care of your lens case. Clean, rinse, and dry it each time you take out the lenses. Get a new case every six months.
Get your eye doctors OK using any new or different medicines. Tell your doctor about things you can buy without a prescription, like eye drops or lens cleaners.
Use eye makeup that is safe for contact lens users.
Take out your lenses and call your eye doctor right away if
– your vision changes.
– your eyes are red.
– your eyes hurt or feel itchy.
– you have a lot of tears.

What Not to Do

Never spit on your lenses to clean them.
Never use tap water, bottled water, or salt water made at home to store or rinse your lenses. It can cause infections.
Never mix different cleaners or drops.
Never let lotions, creams, or sprays touch your lenses.
Dont use eyeliner on the inside of your lower eyelid.
Never wear lenses when you swim or go into a hot tub.
Never wear your lenses when you are using cleaning products.
Never wear daily-wear lenses when you sleepnot even during a nap.
Never wear your lenses longer than you eye doctor tells you to.