Your eyes are precious, and you only get one pair, which is why it’s important you look after them as well as you can. Contact lenses may help you see more clearly, but it’s crucial you’re taking proper care of them so they can keep your eyes healthy, too.
When you look after your contact lenses properly, they can provide a convenient and comfortable way to correct your vision while removing the need for wearing glasses. And, even though contact lenses from companies like eContactlenses.com.au are an effective and safe form of correction for your vision, your risk of an eye infection can be increased if you don’t look after them properly.
Get into Healthy Habits with Your Contact Lenses
The risk of getting an eye infection can be dramatically reduced when you look after your contact lenses, which will allow you to enjoy all their wonderful benefits. Failing to store your lenses, clean them or wear them properly can increase the chance of complications due to germs getting into your eyes.
Eye infections caused by contact lenses can cause long-lasting damage, but many of these are preventable. Your day-to-day life can even be disrupted by painful yet minor infections, which is why your caring and wearing habits are fundamental in keeping your eyes as healthy as possible.
How to Clean Your Contact Lenses
How you care for your contact lenses will depend on the type of lens you have. If you wear soft lenses that are disposable, these require the least amount of care. However, conventional soft lenses are the ones you need to take extra care with.
Before you start to handle your contact lenses, make sure you’ve used a mild soap to wash and rinse your hands. Always make sure this soap doesn’t contain lotions, oils or perfumes as these can leave a film on your hands. If this gets onto your lens and into your eye, it could irritate it or cause your vision to become blurry.
There are also a few things you’ll need to do before you put your contact lenses in. This includes using hairspray and making sure your fingernails are short so you don’t scratch your eye or damage your lens. After you’ve placed your lenses, you can apply makeup. But always take your contacts out before you remove your makeup.
If your contact lenses need special products and care, you should always use a specialist solution that will disinfect them. Your doctor will also recommend enzymatic cleaners and eye drops, so always proceed with caution if you’re buying anything off the shelf. Some eye drops or products are not suitable for people who wear contact lenses.
You should never put your lenses directly into tap water either because even water that’s been distilled can harbor nasty bugs that may cause an infection or affect your vision.
Finally, when you’re cleaning your contact, place it in the palm of one hand and use the index finger on your other hand to lightly rub away the surface buildup. You should do this every time you use your lens, and always let it dry in the air afterward.
How to Wear Your Contacts Safely
When it comes to soft contacts, a lot of eye care specialists say daily disposable ones are the safest. However, you should always consult your doctor as to which they think is best.
Only wear your contacts for as long as is recommended, and if you think you’ll struggle to remember this, create a chart that shows you when you should change them so you don’t forget. And, if you do forget to put them in, you should never wear someone else’s, especially if they’ve already worn them themselves. By doing this, you could spread an infection from their eye to yours or vice versa, plus they probably won’t have the same prescription as you anyway!
Unless you use extended-wear lenses you shouldn’t sleep with your contact lenses in. When your eyelids are closed, your eyes don’t get as much oxygen from your tears as when they are open, and the contacts could make them dry out even further. You should never swim when you’re wearing your contacts either.
Other important things to remember include wearing sunglasses when you’re in the sun because contact lenses can make your eyes sensitive to the light. Using a plain saline solution or rewetting solution to retain moisture in your eyes. And taking your contacts out if your eye suddenly becomes irritated.
If you notice blurred vision, eye pain, light flashes, irritation, unusual redness, swelling or an infection, you should consult your eye doctor immediately.
Sam Henry is a family physician who loves to share his insights online. You can read his articles on various health and lifestyle websites today.