The care and cleaning of contact lenses

Millions of people across the world use contact lenses every day and with proper care and cleaning they do not experience any problems.

However, in order to minimise any potential risk of damage to the eye, there are number of guidelines that should be followed:

Do : visit your eye-care specialist for tips on handling your contact lenses and to make follow-up checks (at least every 6-12 months).

Do : make sure that the first step when handling lenses is to always wash your hands (a neutral soap is best).

Do : remember to clean and replace your LENS CASE regularly. Dirty lens cases can cause infection.

Do : clean and disinfect reusable contact lenses EVERY time you remove them (even if this is more than once a day).

Do : get in touch with your eye-care professional immediately if your lenses are causing any irritation.

Do : put your lenses in before putting on make-up, however hairspray should be applied before inserting lenses (alternatively make sure your eyes are tightly closed). Contacts should be taken out before removing make-up.

Do : check the expiry date on any bottles of solution, and make sure you replace their caps after use.

Do : make sure that you keep your left and right lenses separate and that you know which is which.

Don't : use contacts for longer than they should be used for, again it's best to talk with your eye-care specialist if you're unsure.

Don't : wear contact lenses when using medicinal eye drops or ointments (unless directed to by your eye-care specialist).

Don't : change brand of contact lens (or saline/ cleaning solutions) without first consulting your eye-care specialist.

Don't : swap novelty or cosmetic contact lenses with other people as this may lead to the transmission of eye infections.

Don't : use tap water or saliva to wet your lenses under any circumstances.

Don't : wear contact lenses while swimming (unless you can guarantee that your goggles are watertight).

© The Pink Fridge Online Magazine 2008 - Contact Lens Care

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