Caring for your Contact Lenses
While contact lenses are safely used by millions of people around the world every day, they do carry a risk of eye infection if not properly cared for. There are two general types of contact lenses: hard and soft. The hard lenses are rigid, gas-permeable lenses (RGP for short), that are now and days primarily used for corneal diseases, like keratoconus. The soft lenses are made of soft, flexible silicone-hydrogel that allows oxygen to pass through the eye. There are different soft lenses that are made to be worn for 1-day, 2 weeks, or as a monthly regimen.
Are Contact Lenses Worth it?
Many patients ask: are these worth the extra money? Many doctors highly recommend disposable soft lenses – they are a fantastic choice health-wise; there is less opportunity for protein and bacteria to build up on them. Also, if you invest in these 1-day disposable lenses, which are thrown away at the end of the day, you will not need to buy contact lens solution to clean them after every use! The downside to these lenses would be that they are not created for extended wear, meaning they may cause discomfort if worn during sleep.
Properly Caring for Your Contact Lenses
Regardless of the type of lens you decide on, proper care of your lenses is essential to your eye health! Check out these tips to make sure you’re taking the best possible care of your contact lenses.
• Thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water before handling contact lenses.
• Minimize contact with water – this includes removing your lenses before going swimming or in a hot tub.
• Contact lenses should not be rinsed or stored in water – your contact solution should be the only liquid that comes in contact with your lenses.
• Wear and replace contact lenses according to the schedule prescribed by your eye care professional.
• Be sure to use the “rub and rinse” method – this method is considered by some experts to be a superior method of cleaning. This entails rubbing your contact lenses with your fingers, then rinsing the lenses with solution before soaking them.
• Keep your contact lens case clean and replace it regularly – at least every 3 months. Bacteria can gather in your lens case and increase your risk of infection if not replaced in a timely manner.
Be sure to keep those lenses in tip-top shape to ensure you have the greatest summer adventures possible, eye infection free!
Schedule an eye appointment today with Doctors Gibson, Gibson, and Moore.
