Professional Advice
Contact Lens Safety
You should never share your contact lenses; contact lenses are medical devices and are fitted to the specific patient's parameters. When shared or handled improperly, they can transmit harmful bacteria that can lead to infection or other dangerous eye conditions.
Recommendations for using
your Contact Lenses
DO:
- Ensure you have regular eye examinations as recommended by your eyecare professional
- Always clean your hands before handling your contact lenses
- Clean, rinse and disinfect your contact lenses after use (except daily disposable lenses, which should be discarded daily)
- Ensure your contact lens case is clean and dry when not holding lenses
- Insert your contact lenses before applying makeup
- Remove your contact lenses before removing makeup
- Replace your contact lens cases every 3 months to prevent contamination buildup
- Ensure you have spare lenses and solutions on hand
- Have an up-to-date pair of glasses available in case you need to remove your lenses
DO NOT:
- Use tap water on your contact lenses
- Wet your contact lenses with saliva
- Re-use any used disinfecting solution, when storing your contact lenses always use fresh solution
- Sleep in your lenses, unless specifically advised to by your eyecare professional
- Switch the type of solution you use except on the advice of your eyecare professional
Cleaning and Storing Contact Lenses
Contact lens wearers should always wash their hands before handling their lenses to avoid transferring dirt and germs to their eyes. They should also avoid moisturizing soaps, as they are not ideal for contact lenses. Hands should be dried with a lint-free towel.
It is recommended that you clean your contact lenses immediately after removing them rather than prior to inserting them as contact lens cleaners will work better to penetrate any build up of debris. Remove one lens; clean it with the recommended solution to remove eye-produced buildup, cosmetics, and other debris that impairs comfort. Some products require rubbing of the lens with a few drops of solution, while others only require rinsing. Rinsing is then required again to remove any loosened debris. Afterwards, the lens can be placed in a clean lens case or holder, and filled with the appropriate solution for soaking and disinfection. Disinfection time varies, depending on product. These steps should be repeated for the other lens, the lenses can then be stored in the lens case.
Non Prescription (Plano) Contact Lenses
Some contact lenses are available in (non-prescription) or Plano. This is most common when someone without a need for visual correction wants to change the color of their eyes by wearing colored or special effect contact lenses.
While these lenses are considered cosmetic, "non-prescription" or Plano, the wearer still needs to have an eye exam and contact lens fitting from an eyecare professional because contact lenses are made from different materials, diameters, base curves and sizes. What works for one person may not work for another.