Did you know that some of the most common eye problems are caused by poor management of contact lenses? These problems can include eye infections such as bacterial and fungal keratitis, severe dryness, distortion of the cornea, growth of blood vessels in the cornea, cornea infections and corneal ulcers. Our vision is precious but many people take this for granted until their negligence leads to something worse. Wearing contact lenses is a huge commitment and while it may seem effortless, it does require a lot of work. If you think this is a hassle or you simply don’t have the time, do stay away from wearing contact lenses. Here are 11 cleanliness tips you must follow if you’re a contact lens wearer:
1. Always wash your hands with anti-bacterial soap before handling your contact lenses. It really doesn’t matter how clean you think your hands are; just do it. You really don’t want all that bacteria and germs getting onto the contact lenses or into your eyes.
2. The solution you use to store your contact lenses in the casing should be changed every single day. The disinfecting capability of the solution wouldn’t be as strong after one use, so do use fresh solution every time. Also, rinse out the casing thoroughly and let it dry completely or wipe it down with a clean cloth before putting in new solution so that you wouldn’t contaminate it.
3. Do not use tap water to wash your contact lenses. You wouldn’t know where the water is sourced from and tap water is typically a breeding ground for common parasites that are harmful to the eyes. Before the lenses are inserted into your eyes, make sure to rinse them with the disinfecting solution.
4. Once a solution bottle is opened, it should be tossed out after one month. Even if you haven’t finished using the content in the bottle, get a new one as this will ensure that the solution is fresh and clean. For this reason, we recommend getting smaller travel-sized bottles of solution instead of the regular-sized bottles. This way, you’d finish using it quicker and less of it would go to waste.
5. Do not use regular eye drops if you wear contact lenses. There are specific eye drops that are meant for soft lenses and rigid gas permeable hard lenses, so do read the labels carefully before you make any purchases. If all else fails, ask the pharmacist on duty for assistance.
6. Change the casing for your contact lenses every three months. Handling your contact lenses daily could really encourage the growth of bacteria outside and inside the casing. If you cannot get your hands on new casings frequently, do soak your casing in really hot water to kill off bacteria.
7. If you wear makeup, always remember to put on your contact lenses before applying any eye makeup. This will avoid any contact between the eye makeup and the lenses. Also, try to avoid lining the inner rims of your eyes as this could cause infections. When removing your makeup, always remove your contact lenses beforehand so that the makeup remover and gunk doesn’t get on the lenses.
8. Saline solution is different from a disinfecting solution. You may think that you’re saving money by just purchasing saline solution, but it’s just sterile salt water and it really doesn’t do the job to disinfect the lenses from bacteria and parasites.
9. Never, ever, sleep overnight with your contact lenses on. This really harbours the parasites, fungus and bacteria that could already be in your eyes, causing damage and drying them out. Any foreign element that’s on the lenses will get slammed against your cornea, and the contact lenses would act as a barrier to reduce the oxygen flow in your eyes. No matter how tired you are, do not skip this step before hitting the sack.
10. Do not keep whatever that’s used to clean and store your contact lenses in the washroom. It is always damp in there, and a damp environment increases the growth as well as survival rate of bacteria and viruses. Make sure to keep your contact lens casing as well as solution bottles dry at all times.
11. Try not to shower or go swimming in pools, oceans, waterfalls and lakes in your contact lenses. The water may be dirty and can channel an organism called acanthamoeba, which can cause severe eye infections or ulcers in the eyes.
