Contact Lens Care and Safety
Inserting Contact Lenses
- Always wash and dry your hands thoroughly before touching your lenses.
- Always insert your lenses in the same order. Since we naturally read from left to right, we recommend that you always insert your left lens first. When finished, insert your right lens.
- Remove your lens from the case and rinse with contact lens solution.
- Check to ensure that the lens is not torn or otherwise damaged.
- Place the lens on the tip of the index finger on your dominant hand.
- Use your other hand to gently lift you upper eyelid.
- Use you dominant hand to pull down your lower eyelid.
- While looking up, gently place your lens on the lower portion of your eye.
- Close your eye, then blink a few times.
- If the lens feels uncomfortable, remove and check the lens again to ensure that the lens is not torn or damaged.
- If the lens is not damaged, apply additional contact lens solution and re-insert.
- If the lens is damaged, repeat the process with a new lens.
Removing Contact Lenses
- Always wash and dry your hands thoroughly before touching your lenses.
- Always remove your lenses in the same order. Just as with inserting your lenses, we recommend that you always remove your left lens first. When finished, remove your right lens.
- Use your dominant hand to pull down your lower eyelid.
- While looking up, use your index finger to gently move the lower portion of the lens toward the bottom of your eye.
- Gently remove the lens using your index finger and thumb.
- Follow the manufacturers recommendations for cleaning and disinfecting your lenses.
Contact Lens Safety
Below are some FDA safety tips you should follow if you wear contact lenses.
Always:
- Get regular eye exams to assure the continued health of your eyes.
- Have a back-up pair of glasses with a current prescription in the event that you have problems with your contact lenses.
- Follow the directions of your eye care professional and all labeling instructions for proper use of contact lenses and lens care products.
- Wash your hands before handling contact lenses to reduce the chance of getting an infection.
- Clean, rinse, and air-dry you lens case each time lenses are removed. Contact lens cases can be a source of bacterial growth.
- Remove the lenses immediately and consult your eye care professional if your eyes become red, irritated, or your vision changes.
- Ask your eye care professional about wearing glasses or contact lenses during sports activities to minimize your chance of injury.
- Ask your eye care professional before using any medicine or using topical eye products, even those you buy without a prescription. Some medicines may affect your vision or irritate your eyes.
- Apply cosmetics after inserting lenses and remove your lenses before removing makeup.
- Apply any aerosol products such as hairspray, cologne, and deodorant before inserting lenses.
- Inform your employer if you wear contact lenses. Some jobs may require the use of eye protection equipment or may require that you not wear lenses.
- Follow and save the directions that come with your lenses. If you didn't get a patient information booklet, request one from your eye care professional or look for one on the manufacturer's website.
- Replace contact lenses as recommended by your eye care professional.
- Throw away disposable lenses after recommended wearing period.
Do not:
- Sleep in daily wear lenses. It may increase your chance of infection or irritation.
- Purchase contact lenses from gas stations, video stores, record shops, or any other vendor not authorized by law to dispense contact lenses. Contact lenses are medical devices that require a prescription.
- Swap contact lenses with another person. Swapping provides a way to transfer germs between people. Contact lenses are individually fitted. Incorrectly fitted lenses may cause permanent eye injury or infection and may potentially lead to blindness.
- Smoke. Studies show that smokers who wear contact lenses have a higher rate of problems (adverse reactions) than non-smokers.
- Swim while wearing contact lenses. There is a risk of eye infection from bacteria in swimming pool water.
- Put your lenses in your mouth to wet them. Saliva is not a sterile solution.
- Use tap water, distilled water, or any homemade saline solution. Tap and distilled water have been associated with Acanthamoeba keratitis, a corneal infection that is resistant to treatment and cure.
- Transfer contact lens solutions into smaller, travel-size containers. This can effect the sterility of the solution, which can lead to an eye infection. Transferring solutions into smaller-size containers may also leave consumers open to accidentally using a solution not intended for the eyes.
- Rely on contact lenses to protect your eyes from the sun. Make sure to use sunglasses that block ultraviolet light.