Do you rely on glasses to see? Although they can help immensely, they don’t have to be your only option.
Contact lenses are a great choice if you’re sick of wearing glasses and want to see without bulky frames. There are several types of contact lenses to choose from.
Your eye doctor at Traverse City Eye can help you choose the best kind for your vision and lifestyle. Adjusting to wearing contact lenses can be tricky, but as long as you care for them properly, you’ll get used to them quickly!
Whether you’re a new contact lens user or have been wearing them for years, you should know all the do’s and don’ts when caring for them to keep your eyes happy and healthy. Keep reading to learn about the do’s and don’ts of wearing contact lenses!
Do
Schedule Annual Eye Exams
If you have a refractive error, you need annual eye exams to keep your prescription up-to-date. Annual eye exams will be necessary whether you’re nearsighted, farsighted, or deal with astigmatism.
Annual eye exams will also be a must whether you wear glasses, contact lenses, or both. Contact lenses are a little different regarding how you customize them for your eyes.
Your contact lenses need to fit both your prescription and your physical eyes. After all, you can’t walk around wearing contact lenses too big for your eyes!
That’s why you must be fitted and appropriately sized for your contact lenses. Contact lens fittings with your ophthalmologist will help to ensure you have the exact prescription necessary for your eyes.
Annual eye exams ensure you wear contact lenses the right size and are correctly fitted for your eyes. What works for one person may not be suitable for someone else, making your annual contact lens fitting and prescription check so important.
Wash Your Hands
Always wash your hands thoroughly before touching your contact lenses, whether taking them out or putting them in. Your eyes are sensitive.
Getting foreign bacteria in your eyes can quickly lead to infections and other issues. The best way to keep your eyes healthy is to ensure your fingers are clean whenever you handle your contact lenses.
Keep Your Contact Lenses Clean
Not only do you need to wash your hands to keep your contact lenses clean, but you also need to keep your contact lenses clean. If you wear daily contacts, you don’t have to worry about this, as you throw them out after removing them daily.
However, if you wear weekly or monthly contact lenses, keeping your contact lenses clean is of the utmost importance. You have to keep them clean by removing them and putting them in contact lens solution in your contact lens case.
Store your case in fresh solution whenever you remove your contact lenses to keep your contacts as clean as possible.
Change Your Contact Lenses Regularly
Make sure you always remember to change your contact lenses regularly. Unless you use extended-wear contact lenses, you must take them out each night and put them into solution so they are ready to put in when you need them next.
For many people, this is usually the next day, but if you don’t wear your contact lenses daily, make sure your contacts aren’t sitting in the same solution for days on end. Also, make sure to change your weekly and monthly contact lenses once they’ve reached their date of safe usage. Wearing them longer than recommended can irritate your eyes and lead to problems with your vision and eyes.
Use Plenty of Contact Lens Solution
Before putting your contact lenses in, always make sure you’re using plenty of contact lens solution. Your contact lenses should be well-lubricated before putting them in your eyes.
Dry contact lenses can be very uncomfortable and harmful to your eyes.
Don’t
Rub Your Eyes
As a general rule, you should do everything in your power to avoid rubbing your eyes. It’s imperative not to rub your eyes while wearing contact lenses.
Not only can rubbing dislodge your contact lens from your eye, but it can also lead to harmful bacteria and other contaminants like pollen becoming trapped in the eye.
Wear Your Contact Lenses for Too Long
You shouldn’t wear contact lenses longer than their recommended use time, but you shouldn’t wear them too long in a day, either. If you’re planning on being out late, make sure you bring your glasses with you.
Bring your contact lens case with you for a safe place to put your contacts after taking them out. Most contact lenses that aren’t for extended wear shouldn’t be worn for more than 16 hours at a time.
Sleep in Your Contact Lenses
Unless you have extended-wear contact lenses, you should always take out your contact lenses before sleeping. This is true for going to bed at night and for any naps during the day.
Even if you only plan on napping for half an hour, you should take out your contact lenses if possible. Sleeping in your contact lenses can cause irritation and only makes you feel worse when you wake up from your nap!
Wear Your Contact Lenses If Your Eyes Are Irritated
If your eyes are irritated for any reason, don’t wear your contact lenses. Contact lenses reduce the oxygen your eyes receive, leaving you with less moisture in your eyes.
Because of this, wearing contact lenses will increase irritation if your eyes are already irritated. Your contact lenses may also be the cause of your eye irritation.
Whether or not this is the case, you should see your eye doctor whenever your eyes are irritated for an extended period. They may tell you you can resume contact lens use after treatment but leave your contact lenses out until you talk to your eye doctor.
Do you need to schedule an appointment for a contact lens fitting? Schedule yours at Traverse City Eye in Traverse City, MI, now!