contact lens safety
Developing healthy contact lens hygiene habits from the start, or reviewing them annually when you visit your eye doctor to update your contact lens prescription, is a great way to reduce your chances of having a contact lens related eye problem.
Here are some healthy contact lens hygiene habits:
- Wash your hands with soap and water before touching your contact lenses.
- Do not sleep in contact lenses unless prescribed by your doctor.
- Keep water away from your contact lenses.
- Contact lenses should be removed before showering, swimming or using a hot tub.
- Replace your contact lenses as often as recommended by your eye doctor.
- Contact lens cases should be replaced every three months.
- You should rinse your contact lens case with contact lens solution, dry with a clean cloth, and store the case upside down with the caps off after each use.
- Always use fresh contact lens cleaning solution recommended by your eye doctor, do not mix old solution with new solution.
If your eye becomes red, irritated, painful, sensitive to light, watery, uncomfortable, or you develop blurred vision, you should remove the lens immediately and contact your eye doctor. Keratitis is an inflammation of the cornea that is a contact lens complication that can be brought about by not properly caring for contact lenses and/or overwearing contact lenses. Keratitis can lead to vision loss and tends to be painful. Keratitis can usually be prevented by proper care of contact lens wear. Always have a pair of glasses with you. If you have any questions about the way that you are currently caring for your lenses, please don’t hesitate to ask any of our eye doctors at UW Health.
Reference: cdc.gov