Contact Lense Safety: What should we know before we put it on?

share
published at 06 May 2022
reading time 3 min read

Today, you can find someone wearing contact lenses almost anywhere. Some people wear them to correct vision difficulties, while others wear them to improve the appearance of their eyes. Contact lenses are undeniably one of the most popular medical devices that make your daily life a lot easier, but have you ever given it much thought? What should we know before we put it on?

If you don’t already know, there are ten things you should know before wearing contact lenses. This is an important piece of information that you should not overlook!

  1. CONSULTATION: Because each individual’s ocular traits are unique (i.e., the curvature of the eyes, and size), you should consult an optometrist or specialist before starting to use them.
  2. CLEANLINESS: Always wash your hands before inserting or removing contact lenses to prevent germs from entering the eyes. Cleanliness is critical when it comes to contact lenses. For first time contact lens wearers, you should have your fingernails short because contact lenses demand your hands to come into contact with them.
  3. SOAKING: When purchasing new contact lenses, it is recommended that you soak them in contact lens solution for at least 2-4 hours or overnight. This is to adjust the condition of the contact lenses before wearing. It also protects against contact lens solution-induced eye discomfort.
  4. CONTACT LENS SOLUTION: Reusing contact lens solution is not advised. It should be changed every day. This prevents contact lenses from becoming dirty or infected. And for every three months, the bottle should be removed. Don’t use tap water because it isn’t clean enough, and it might cause contact lens quality to deteriorate.
  5. NUMBER OF HOURS: Wearing contact lenses for more than 8-9 hours a day can cause dry eyes, oxygen deficiency, irritation, eye inflammation, and even blurred vision. Alternatively, you could lose your sight completely.
  6. SLEPT IN CONTACTS: Wearing contact lenses to bed is definitely prohibited. Because sleeping with contact lenses causes many people’s eyes to become inflamed and irritated for a long period. You should always remove your contact lenses before going to bed for safety reasons.
  7. CONTACTS FIRST: You should first put on your contact lenses before applying makeup. Because putting it on later may cause the makeup you’ve applied to fall off and lenses to become dirty. It’s possible that it’ll irritate your eyes.
  8. CONTACT LENS CASE: Did you know that contact lens cases are a bacteria growing environment and should be replaced every 2-4 weeks? Hand-washing with soapy water and letting the water to dry are the best ways to keep it clean.
  9. OVERUSE: Contact lenses have an expiration date on them. Under no circumstances should the limit be exceeded. The dirt accumulates the longer a contact lens is worn, whether daily, monthly, or yearly, which is more prone to infection.
  10. DISCOMFORT: Remove your contact lenses as quickly as possible if you’re experiencing eye irritation or discomfort while using them. Patients with conjunctivitis, swollen eyes, or ocular discomfort should avoid wearing contact lenses. It’s best to wait till it’s fully healed before putting it on. You should remove it if it continues to irritate you. Then schedule a consultation with a professional to identify the best course of action.

Click here to learn more about Contact Lens Fitting