Contact Lens Care

Keep Your Lenses Clean

You wouldn’t dream of sticking a dirty finger in your eye, so why put in a dirty contact lens? You could be doing just that if you aren’t cleaning your lenses correctly. Begin by washing and drying your hands thoroughly. Soft lenses should be cleaned in the palm of one hand, one at a time, using the appropriate solution. Gently rub the lens with one finger of the other hand in a lateral (back and forth) motion. Finish by rinsing with additional solution. Rinsing lenses with solution alone does not remove enough dust and debris accumulated during daily wear.

Keep Your Lenses to Yourself

It’s important not to share contact lenses with anyone else. Trying on someone else’s contact lens or lending out your lens can spread infection. Since contact lenses are fit to the exact size and configuration of one person’s eye, the lens might damage the surface if worn by someone else. If you hear about a particular type of lens you want to try, contact our office and come in to try it for yourself. We will provide you with a fresh, clean lens, designed precisely for the size and shape of your eye.

Contact Lens Care Guide

Adhere to the following guidelines in caring for and replacing your contact lenses.

• Always wash your hands and dry before handling contact lenses.
• Rub and rinse the surface of each contact lens before storing.
• Use only sterile products recommended by your optometrist to clean and disinfect your lenses. Saline solution and rewetting drops are not designed to disinfect lenses.
• Do not use tap water to wash or store contact lenses.
• Contact lens solution must be discarded each time lenses are removed from the case.
• Use fresh solution each time a lens is placed in the case.
• Replace your contact lenses with new ones using the schedule your doctor prescribes.
• Keep your contact lens case clean by rinsing it with solution, and replacing the case with a new one as needed.
• Do not sleep in contact lenses unless told to do so by your doctor.
• Do not swim in soft contact lenses. Wait several hours after swimming before re-inserting lenses.
• Never exchange lenses with someone else.
• Never put contact lenses in your mouth.
• See your optometrist regularly for contact lens evaluations and to check the health of your eye.
• If you experience any of the following symptoms — RSVP (Redness, Secretion, Visual blurring or Pain), see your optometrist immediately!

Cleaning and Handling Soft Lenses

Use the multi-purpose solution prescribed by your doctor to clean and disinfect your lenses. Follow these instructions.

Insertion:

• Prior to handling your lenses, wash hands with soap and water. Dry hands with a lint-free towel.
• RINSE each side of the lens for 5 seconds with fresh solution to remove any debris before inserting it in the eye.

Disinfection and cleaning:
Use the RUB, RINSE & SOAK routine for effective disinfection when you remove your lenses.

• Wash hands with soap and water prior to handling lenses.
• Place 3 or more drops of solution on one side of the lens surface.
• Place the lens in the palm of one hand. RUB the lens gently with a lateral (back and forth) motion, using a finger of the other hand for at least 10 seconds (Never rub in a circular motion, because it may tear the lens and may not clean the outer edge surface).
• After rubbing for at least 10 seconds, turn the lens over and repeat step 3.
• RINSE each side of the lens for 5 seconds with fresh solution. Place lenses in a clean case and fill with solution. Close the lens case tightly.
• SOAK – Allow lenses to soak for a minimum of six (6) hours for disinfection, cleaning and protein removal.

Lens case care:
Rinse the lens case daily with fresh solution and let it air dry. Replace the case with a new one every 1-3 months.