Lens Care

Caring for your contact lenses is very important because not doing so can lead to a variety of eye infections, including some that cause blindness. It is highly recommended that after purchasing color contact lenses that you visit an eye doctor to be instructed on how to put them in and take care of them properly. Below are the basics that you need to follow:

CLEAN AND DISINFECT

1. Wash your hands thoroughly every time you handle your contact lenses so that you don't transfer dirt and germs to your eye. Try to avoid moisturizing soaps, as they are not good for contact lenses. Always dry your hands with a lint-free towel before touching your lenses.
2. Remove one lens and clean it with a multi-purpose solution. Cleaning removes eye-produced buildup, cosmetics and other debris that impairs lens comfort. Rub the lens in the palm of your hand with a few drops of solution and avoid touching the surface of the lens with your nails.
3. Rinse the lens again to remove the loosened debris, making sure to take as long as the package directs becuase rinsing is an important step.
4. Place the lens in your clean lens case or lens holder and fill with fresh solution; never top off your old solution. Disinfecting kills microorganisms on the lens.
5. Repeat steps two through four for your other lens.

​ALWAYS REMEMBER...

• Always soak your new lenses in fresh solution for at least 6-8 hours before the very first use
• Never touch solution bottle tips to any surface, including your body as this can cause contamination of the solution.
• Avoid getting tap water on your contact lenses and accessories, as it can carry a microorganism called Acanthamoeba that causes serious eye infections.
• Remember to clean your contact lens accessories as directed.
• Lens cases should be rinsed with hot tap water and dried when not in use. (Because Acanthamoeba cysts may be present in tap water and can survive for years after drying, some eye doctors recommend using only contact lens disinfecting or multipurpose solution for this step.)
• Recent studies suggest that wiping your case with a clean tissue and/or placing it upside-down on another clean tissue may be additional good steps in keeping bacteria biofilms off the case. Ask your eye doctor what he or she recommends if unsure.
• Throw out your contact lens case once a month to reduce your risk of infection.
• Clean and disinfect your contact lenses once a day.