Contact Lens Wear and Care

Contact Lens Wear And Care: Advice From Our Charlotte Optometry Team

Contact lenses are a marvelous convenience for individuals in need of vision correction -- but they can just as quickly become a source of trouble. Improper wear, care or storage of these devices can interfere with clear vision and even do serious harm to the eyes. Here are some essential contact lens usage tips from our optometry team at University Eye Associates.

Healthy Contact Lens Wear

One mistake that's surprisingly easy to make is inserting your contacts inside out. While this won't actually harm your eyes, it will feel uncomfortable and do nothing to correct your vision. before inserting your lenses, make sure they'll semi-spherical in shape rather than cone shaped (which means that they're inside out), adjusting them as necessary for a correct fit.

How long you can wear your contacts safely depends in part on the type of lenses they are. Extended-wear lenses can usually be worn for up to 7 days straight, while continuous wear-lenses can remain in the eye even longer. (The absolute maximum FDA-approved duration period for continuous-wear lenses is 30 days.) If your lenses are only intended for daily wear, it's critical that you remove them every night. Wearing contact lenses longer than their intended usage period can put you at risk for serious eye problems. This is especially true for soft contacts, which tend to accumulate proteins that can cause an inflammation called giant papillary conjunctivitis. Your Charlotte optometrist will advise you on the correct wear habits for your particular type of lenses.

Cleaning and Maintenance Tips From Your Charlotte Optometrist

One advantage of singe-use disposable contacts is that they don't require cleaning -- you simply insert a clean replacement pair. But if you have reusable lenses, you must clean them properly to avoid serious eye infections and irritations. Your Charlotte optometrist will recommend that you:

• Wash your hands in non-scented, oil-free soap before handling the lenses
• Hold the lens in your cleaned hand, rinse it with lens cleaning solution, then place the lens on your fingertip for easy insertion
• Always insert the same lens (left or right) first to help prevent mix-ups
• Wash your hands again before removing your contact lenses
• Keep the contact lens solution as clean as possible, using only fresh solution
• Rinse out your storage case with clean contact lens solution every time you remove and replace your lenses
• Replace your contact lens storage case at recommended intervals

When handling contact lenses, don't ever:

• Sleep in contacts that aren't prescribed for that usage
• Use saliva to clean your contacts
• Allow water to get into your contacts
• Wear contacts on irritated or infected eyes

Our Optometry Center Can Help You Enjoy Your Contact Lenses

If you want to make sure you get the best possible experience from contact lenses, make an appointment at any of our three offices. From contact lens exams to important wear and care tips, our optometry center is here to help!