Must-know Tips For Contact Lenses Care

If you wear contact lenses, whether to help you see or change your eye color. Remember to use them safely. All contact lenses are medical devices regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. And require a prescription obtained after examination and fitting by a licensed eye care provider. Contacts can help correct your vision but are not risk-free. If you don't use them properly, you are at risk for serious eye infections that can lead to vision loss and even blindness. To reduce your risk, here's what to do.

Important Contact Lens Care Tips

• Follow the recommended wearing schedule.

• Do not substitute sterile saline solutions for multi-purpose solutions.

• Rub and rinse your contact lenses as directed by your eye care professional.

• Do not "top-off" the solutions in your case. Always discard all of the leftover contact lens solution after each use. Never reuse any lens solution.

• Clean, rinse and air-dry your lens case each time lenses are removed.

• Do not expose your contact lenses to any water: tap, bottled, distilled, lake, or ocean water.

• Contact your eye care professional if you experience any symptoms of eye irritation or infection.

Contact lenses are the number one choice for many people with vision correction needs. For many, contact lenses provide flexibility and convenience. There are many different lenses available for a variety of needs and preferences. Contact lenses can be used to correct a variety of vision disorders such as Myopia (nearsightedness), Hyperopia (farsightedness), Astigmatism, and Presbyopia (poor focusing with reading material and other near vision tasks).To learn more about safe contact lens care, please check out the following 7 tips.

1. Always have a current prescription for all new contacts. Since contact lenses are not over-the-counter devices, always have a current prescription for all new contacts, including those for costumes.
2. Be careful if you buy contacts online. Sellers should always require a prescription.
3. Never expose contacts to any water, including lakes, ponds, ocean, and even tap water. Microorganisms that can cause infection are found in water. So when you wash your hands before touching contacts, dry your hands. And you shouldn't swim with contacts or take a shower with them.
4. Use fresh, non-expired sterile contact lens solution, and follow all directions for cleaning. Directions may include steps to rub and rinse contacts. The previously used solution in your storage case makes it less effective and may lead to an eye infection. To clean your case, rub and rinse it with fresh solution and leave it open to dry after each use. Replace as recommended by your eye care provider. If you use solution that has hydrogen peroxide, never put it directly in your eye. You must follow each cleaning step to avoid eye damage.   
5. Never put contacts in your mouth and never clean them with saliva.
6. Wear, discard, and replace contacts as directed. For instance, sleeping in contacts overnight unless they were prescribed that way. Greatly increases the chances of infection. you should not wear prescribed contacts longer than directed.
7. Take out your contacts immediately if you have discomfort, unusual tearing or eye discharge, unusual light sensitivity or redness, itching, blurred vision, or pain. But don't throw them away. Then promptly contact your eye care provider, who may need to evaluate your eyes and your contacts.