Caring For Your Contact Lenses
Contact Lenses 101
A friend of mine purchased her first pair of contact lens last
year. One night as she was watching television, she dozed off
with the contacts still in her eyes. When she got up the next
morning, her eyes started burning. Two hours later, her eyes
were almost swollen shut. In almost unbearable pain she immediately
rushed out to the doctor’s office.
Fortunately, her eyes weren’t permanently damaged. However,
she did suffer scratches on her cornea and subsequently had
to wear bandages and a protective patch over one of her eyes
for the next several weeks.
Contact lenses are a blessing when used properly. They are
convenient, easily manageable, and both stylish and anonymous
as needed. However, mishandling your contacts can lead to serious
eye problems if you are not careful. Avoid these pitfalls by
following a few simple steps.
First, you should only sleep with contacts in your eyes if
they are extended wear disposable lens that allow overnight
wear. If your disposable contacts are intended for daily wear,
then they need to be taken out every night before you go to
bed.
Secondly, be sure to clean your contacts using only the cleaning
solution recommended by your optometrist. Depending on your
specific cleaning solution, you may be required to rinse your
contacts out or actually rub solution into the lens before rinsing.
Remember to always thoroughly wash your hands before handling
your contacts. Even if you can’t see obvious dirt, any
dirt or germs left on your hands that are transferred to the
contacts could lead to potential eye irritation and unhealthy
buildup on your lens.
This also holds true for cleaning your contact lens case. Disinfecting
your case is just as important as the other parts of the lens
cleaning process. Normally your case will need to be cleansed
with the same solution that you are using to clean your contacts.
However, make sure you follow the cleansing instructions that
came with your case.
Remember, contacts are easy to manage and very convenient.
To ensure that your contacts are being cared for properly, follow
the directions given to you by your optometrist on wearing/removing,
cleansing, and caring for your contact lens. By doing some basic
contact maintenance, you can eliminate the majority of problems
that may be encountered otherwise.
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