Contact Lens Care 101: Everything You Need to Know for Maximum Comfort and Safety!

Contact lens care is an essential component of taking care of your eyes when using these handy lenses. Contacts give crisper vision than eyeglasses and freedom that eyeglasses cannot deliver. Although this is one of the primary justifications for wearing contact lenses, it is important to understand the responsibility that goes along with them. Contact lenses are very sensitive as they involve touching your eye surface, exposing your eyes to external pathogens. 

Potential Hazards Associated With Wearing Contact Lenses

Old Contact Lenses

When your contact lenses grow old, they tear at the edges and accumulate a lot of debris. The tears and the debris can scratch your eye surface, which may result in sensitivity to light. In addition to irritating your eyes, worn-out contact lenses can cause the growth of aberrant blood vessels in the cornea. This is a dangerous condition that may be fatal to your sight. 

Eye Drops

Eye drops can usually cause ocular issues when you use them with your contact lenses, which can endanger your vision. Eye doctors advise avoiding the use of any eye drops when you have your contact lenses on. 

However, you can use wetting eye drops if you have dry eye syndrome or contact lens-induced dry eyes. If you use these wetting eye drops, you must use preservative-free ones to avoid irritation. 

When to Visit a Doctor

If you are using your contact lenses and notice some of the following symptoms at any time, you must take them out and visit a doctor immediately. 
 

• Intense eye redness

• Pain in the eyes

• Excessive watery eyes that may be sensitive to light

• Blurry vision

• Ocular discharge from the eyes

Taking Care of Your Contacts

• Hand Hygiene

When you get your contact lenses, you must clean your hands whenever you want to touch your eyes. Your eyes are sensitive to dirt and germs, and contact lens users often transfer them from their hands to their eyes. Before touching your eyes or contacts, experts advise washing your hands with mild soap to eliminate bacteria and germs. 
 

• Cleaning Your Contact Lenses

When you take out your contacts, it is best to disinfect them before you put them back into your eye. There are different ways to clean your lenses, depending on your contact type and other factors like allergies. The most common types of contact lens solutions include the following:
 

• Multipurpose Solutions

These are the most popular lens cleaning solutions people use for contact lenses. They clean and disinfect your lenses and help keep them moist through the night. They are available for both rigid gas-permeable lenses and soft contact lenses. 
 

• Hydrogen Peroxide-based Solutions

These lens-cleaning solutions are highly recommended for individuals with chemical sensitivities or allergies. However, you should use a neutralizing disc to convert it to saline so the solution does not sting your eyes when you put the lenses on.

For more information on contact lens care, visit Limestone Eye Care at our office in Lawrence, Kansas. Call (785) 268-6880 to book an appointment today.