Contact Lens Guide

A Guide for Caring for Your Contact Lenses

Contact lenses are a very convenient way to help with giving you great vision, but they do require some special care and attention in handling and making sure they are clean. Below are tips and techniques to ensure your contact lenses take care of your eyes as when you look after them.

 

Things you should always do

  • Follow the advice and wearing schedule recommended by your Eyecare Plus optometrist and the contact lens manufacturer of the lenses.
  • If your eyes are red or sore, or your vision is blurry, call your optometrist for assistance and advice.
  • Always before handling your contact lenses, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water and dry with a lint-free towel
  • Check that the contact lens has not turned inside out before inserting it
  • Start with the same eye and contact lens each time so that they don’t get mixed up
  • Fit contact lenses before applying makeup and take them out before removing makeup
  • Keep your contact lens well lubricated, either with artificial tears in your eyes, or stored in solution in your contact lens case.
  • Clean and disinfect your contact lenses using fresh solution after removing depending on contact lenses you are wearing.
  • Keep a back-up pair of glasses available.
  • Make sure you have an eye test every 12 months or as recommended by your Eyecare Plus optometrist

Things you should never do

  • Wear contact lenses if your eyes are red or sore, or your vision is blurry, please speak to your Eyecare Plus optometrist if you get these symptoms.
  • Insert contact lenses if they are damaged
  • Keep disposable contact lenses longer than instructed by your optometrist
  • Use contact lens solution after its expiry date
  • Change contact lens solution types or disinfection procedures without consulting your optometrist
  • Use tap water or saliva on your contact lenses
  • Use medicated drops on contact lenses without your optometrist’s approval
  • Rub your eyes when wearing contact lenses
  • Sleep with daily wear contact lenses in, or wear them more than once
  • Wear contact lenses when swimming, unless you’re wearing goggles
  • Wear another person’s contact lenses
  • Place contact lenses on top of a television or any warm or hot appliance

 

Storing and cleaning your contact lenses

There are various drops and solutions available, including contact lens multi-purpose solutions that clean, disinfect and store contact lenses. Disposable and soft conventional (or non-disposable) contact lenses should be cleaned and disinfected according to the directions of your optometrist and contact lens manufacture.

Most contact lens care solutions are recommended for conventional (non-disposable) contact lenses but can be used with disposable contact lenses too. They remove any build-up of unwanted deposits, such as oils and proteins. If these deposits are left on your lenses, you may feel discomfort or eye irritation and your contacts may not last as they should.

Some wearers choose to use contact lens comfort drops. They lubricate the lenses making them more comfortable to wear in dry and air-conditioned environments. For the best eye comfort, it’s a good idea to use drops or gels to moisten your eyes before insertion and after removal.

Ask your Eyecare Plus optometrist for more information.