This year, August 19-23 is Contact Lens Health Week. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) created this health-observance week in hopes to educate the 45 million in the United States that wear contact lenses. By creating healthy habits, you can maintain healthy eyes. Here are just a few ways that you can help protect your eyes and prevent infections while wearing contact lenses.

First, you should never utilize lenses or their storage containers for longer periods of time than recommended. If you have daily lenses, then they should be thrown out at the end of each day. Likewise, if you have monthly lenses, they should be changed out for new ones at the beginning of each month. Additionally, storage containers can build up bacteria on your lenses if they are not properly rotated. If your contact lens storage case doesn’t come with a recommended time to replace it, the American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends replacing the storage containers at least every three months.

Additionally, you should also replace the solution in your contact lens case daily. Each time you take your contacts out of the case to wear them, you should dump out the old solution and let it air dry before re closing the case. At the end of the day, you should fill the case up with fresh solution. You should never mix the old and new solution by “topping it off” at the end of the day when removing your lenses. This can cause bacteria to build up and increase your risk of infection.

Speaking of infection, did you know that wearing your lenses while you sleep can increase your risk of infection by 6-8 times? Even if your lenses are 24-hour wear, you should not be sleeping in them. It is important to give your time eyes to rest and your lenses time to get cleaned. When you fall asleep in your lenses, they can become dry or build up bacteria, which increases your chance of infection.

Other don’ts when it comes to wearing contact lenses include mixing water with your contacts. Never rinse storage containers with water. Additionally, you should never shower or swim with your lenses in your eyes. Mixing water with contact lenses can cause them to swell, change shape, or adhere to the eye. Introducing water to your lenses can also introduce bacteria to them as well.

For those who haven’t gotten contact lenses yet, or are new to wearing contact lenses, here are the steps you should take to properly care for and wear your new lenses:

  1. Wash and rinse hands before handling contact lenses. Make sure they are thoroughly dried with a lint-free towel before handling your lenses as well.
  2. Take the lenses out of their storage container using your fingertips. You should never handle lenses with any other objects such as tweezers.
  3. Place the lens in your eye properly. Make sure they’re not inside out before placing them on your eye. You should take them out and place them one at a time.
  4. After the contacts are placed in your eyes, dump out the solution remaining inside of the storage container.
  5. Place the container and lids right-side-up to allow them to air dry
  6. Once you’re done wearing your lenses for the day, wash your hands and let them dry thoroughly before removing them.
  7. Remove one lens at a time, and place it into your palm.
  8. Squirt enough fresh solution into your hand to cover the lens.
  9. Gently rub the lens in circular motions to clean the lens.
  10. Place the cleaned lens back into the dry storage container and fill it to the line with fresh solution.
  11. Place the correct cap onto the side with the lens in it.
  12. Follow steps 7-11 for the other lens.
  13. Wash your hands again and place the storage container in a safe spot.

It is important to note that different types of lenses may require additional or different steps for proper care. You should discuss these steps with your doctor.

If you have any questions, or to schedule an appointment, please call us. Our Kansas City location’s phone number is 816-455-2020. Our St. Joseph's office can be reached by calling 816-279-7015.

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