The Do’s and Don’ts of Contact Lens Wear

According to the Contact Lens Institute, over 30 million Americans wear contact lenses, and 80% of those wear soft contact lenses every day¹. Do you know the dos and don’ts of contact lens wear? Keep your eyes healthy by following the guidelines listed below.

DO:

Make sure to get an eye exam every year for an accurate prescription. Contact lens prescriptions are only good for a year, and it is important to get an annual vision exam for your eye health and to check on your vision.

DON’T:

Buy colored contacts without a prescription. Contacts are medical devices, and buying them from a suspicious online retailer is always a bad idea. The only way to make sure contacts will fit your eyes safely is to use the measurements provided by a trained physician.

DO:

Clean your contacts properly. The best way to do this is the “rub and rinse” method—remove one lens at a time, place it in the palm of your hand, and rub it gently with a few drops of cleaning solution. Then rinse your contact, and place it in a storage case with clean solution. Repeat for the other lens.

DON’T:

Reuse old contact solution, or place your contacts in your mouth. Contact lens wearers who do these things are at an increased risk of eye infections. You can easily avoid eye infections by making sure your hands and contact solution are clean every time you handle your contact lenses.

DO:

Change your contacts at the recommended intervals. Old lenses can lead to irritation and infections. While it may be tempting to stretch the time between changing pairs of lenses, the risks don’t outweigh the benefits. You wouldn’t forget to change your underwear for a month, would you?

DON’T:

Shower in your contacts (or wear them in pools, hot tubs, lakes, ponds, or body of water) when you can avoid it. Not only would it stink to lose a lens, you could also end up with a nasty bug. Because contact lens wearers are have an increased risk of eye infections, it’s of utmost importance that you follow the DO list to keep yourself safe, and call your eye doctor if you have any questions. Clean hands and clean solution whenever you touch your contact lenses is key.

¹https://www.aoa.org/patients-and-public/caring-for-your-vision/contact-lenses/facts-and-stats?sso=y

Originally posted August 08, 2017