Contact Lens Care

  1. Wash hands with warm water and soap before handling your contact lenses or touching your eyes. Be sure to dry your hands with clean cloth or towel.
  2. Store contact lenses as prescribed and in fresh solution and a clean case. Use eye care products recommended by your specialist, as some solutions may not be safe for you or your lenses. Clean your contact lens case after each use with sterile solution.
  3. Never rinse or clean contact lenses with tap or distilled water—too many minerals and bacteria to cause infection or vision impairment. NEVER clean contact lenses by fogging or 'rinsing' them on your tongue.
  4. Remove contact lenses if an eye infection develops or if you experience a burning sensation while wearing. Call your eye care specialist immediately.
  5. NEVER wear another person's contacts! Infection spreads easily this way and serious eye infection can result.
  6. Many contact lens wearers like to keep their eyes lubricated by using a rewetting solution or plain saline solution. Make sure the drop you chose says "for soft contact lens use."
  7. DO NOT SLEEP IN CONTACT LENSES. Your eyes will become dry and your contact lenses will stick to them, causing discomfort. The cornea also can swell during sleep and wearing a contact lens at this time can lead to serious complications such as corneal ulcers. Should you fall asleep wearing your contacts, be sure to moisten your eyes with eye drops recommended by your eye care specialist before removing your contact lenses.
  8. Get an eye exam at least once a year to maintain optimum eye health. Your contact lens prescription is only valid for 12 months.
  9. Visit your eye care specialist immediately if you have any sudden vision loss, persistent blurred vision, light flashes, eye pain, infection, swelling, unusual redness, or irritation. Be sure to remove contact lenses immediately if any of these symptoms should occur.
  10. For first time wearers experiencing discomfort, first check to see if you've put your contact lenses in inside-out. To avoid this, place your contact lens on the tip of your finger so that it is forming a cup. Look at the contact lens from the side. If the cup looks like it is flaring out at the top and has a lip, your contact lens may be inside out.
  11. Always insert contact lenses before applying any type of facial makeup or cream. This will help avoid cross contamination and adverse interactions with various compounds found in cosmetics. Remove contact lenses prior to removing makeup.
  12. Avoid letting the tip of contact lens cleaning solution bottles touch the surfaces of your fingers, eyes or contacts.
  13. Always be sure to follow the replacement schedule set for your contact lenses by your Doctor. Do not try to over-wear or "stretch" your contact lenses. Misuse of contact lenses can have serious consequences for your eye health and vision.