Contact Lens Care and Hygiene

• Before handling contact lenses, wash and rinse your hands. Use a mild non-cosmetic soap. Soaps containing perfumes, oils, or lotions leave a film on the hands, which may be transferred to the lenses and cause eye irritation. Dry hands with a lint-free towel. Fingernails should be short and smooth to avoid damaging the lenses or scratching the eye.
• Apply cosmetics after inserting and handling contact lenses. Hairspray may leave deposits on the contact lens. Use hairspray before inserting contact lenses.
• Do not use tap water to clean or soak contact lenses. Tap water contains bacteria that can cause serious eye infections that may lead to blindness.
• Use lens care products recommended by your eye doctor. Contact lens solutions are designed for single use only in the storing case. Do not use solutions more than one time. Protein-removing enzyme cleaners are useful for rigid gas permeable contact lenses and for daily wear non-disposable soft contact lenses.

Replace the contact lens storage case every three months. Rinse the storage case every day with sterile rinsing solution. Let the storage case air dry.

It is important to follow your doctor’s recommendations regarding lens care and hygiene to prevent eye complications due to contact lens wear.

How Do I Know Which Type of Contact Lens Is Right For Me?

The type of vision correction needed, your lifestyle and expense will all play a role in your eye care specialist’s recommendations for the type of contact lenses that you should wear.

Who Should Not Wear Contact Lenses?

Contact lenses are generally not prescribed for people who:

• Do not produce enough tears.
• Are constantly exposed to fumes.
• Have a history of viral infection of the cornea.
• Are unable to take proper care of their contact lenses with regard to hygiene.

Where Do I Go to Get Contacts Lenses?

Contact lenses can be purchased from a variety of places including your eye doctor, a store specializing in optical wear, through mail order, or over the Internet.

Some things to keep in mind when purchasing contact lenses include:

• Convenience. Is customer service readily available to assist you if need be? Does the company have policies with regard to contact lenses damaged during shipping?
• Insurance coverage. Be sure to contact your insurance company about its policy on contact lenses. This should be done before being fitted for contact lenses. Many plans offer discounts on contact lenses as long as they are purchased from specific retailers. Many plans also do not cover disposable or specialty contact lenses such as colored or bifocal contact lenses.
• Availability. Are your contact lenses in stock? Are you willing to wait longer if necessary for your contact lenses to arrive?

Regardless of where you get your contact lenses, it is important to regularly get eye exams so that any changes in your prescription can be noted and the overall health of your eyes maintained.

Republished from WebMD/Eye Health

visit this article and other eye health information here