If you don't take care of your contact lenses, they can do you more harm than good. Contact lenses are a very popular alternative to corrective vision, and they can really help your eyes if you take care of them. There are ways that you can get the most from your contacts, and ensure that they remain comfortable for as long as you wear them. Below, you will find some tips on how to get the best from your contacts.
To ensure that your contacts remain healthy, you should always replace them as required by the manufacturer or type of contacts you are using. Most types of contacts need to be replaced every 2 weeks, and replaced with a fresh pair. If you are using daily disposable lenses, you should always throw them away before you go to sleep, then wake up to a fresh new pair in the morning.
Another common mistake people make, that can easily damage or affect contacts, is swapping them with other people. You should never swap your contacts, even with a family member or friend. No matter how well you know the person, you should never switch contacts with them. Swapping contacts can damage your eyes, in the terms of protein and contact shape/power.
Anytime your eyes start to bother you, you should take your contacts out and allow your eyes time to rest. Normally, if your contacts are causing irritation, allowing your eyes ample time to rest will correct the problem. If it happens to be more than just tired eyes or irritation, you should leave your contacts out until you can schedule an appointment with your optician and get them checked.
Before you handle your contacts, or put them in your eyes, you should always wash your hands with soap and water, and dry them thoroughly. If you handle your contacts with dirty hands, you could easily get dirt or debris on your lenses and transfer that dirt that you put on the lens into your eye – which could result in an eye infection. If your hands aren't clean, you can also scratch or tear your contact lens, which can do damage to your eyes, possibly even scratch the cornea.
When you put your contacts in, you should try and put them in using the same order each and every time. This way, you'll know which contact goes in first and you won't get them mixed up. Before you put them in, you should always inspect them each and every time to make sure they aren't torn or damaged. If you notice a tear or anything wrong with your lenses, you should immediately discard them and switch to a fresh pair.
To get the most from your contacts and ensure that they remain comfortable, you should always take care of them and use a bit of common sense. If you experience any problems with your contacts, you should take them out and let your eyes rest for a while. Contacts are great to have, although you'll need to rest your eyes every so often. This way, your eyes will get the rest and oxygen they need, and you can go back to wearing your contacts after a few hours.
