Proper Care Of Contact Lenses For Better Vision And Healthy Eyes
Contact lenses can give you better vision than glasses but if
you don't care for them properly you may not only impair the way
you see through them but you could also harm the health of your
eyes. That's why it is critical that you develop proper care
habits when it comes to your contact lenses.
First and foremost, you should follow the guidelines for the
type of contacts you wear. Different makes of contacts have
different procedures for cleaning and storing and you need to
care for them per the manufacturers instruction. Improper care
can result in uncomfortable contacts and could also ruin your
contact lenses or harm your eye.
When it comes to your eyesight you need to take every precaution
to protect them but many contact lens wearers are lax in this
area. Proper cleaning is important and you should use the
solutions suggested by the manufacturer and not plain water.
Water and homemade saline solutions can contain micro-organisms,
chlorine and other minerals that can damage the lens and harm
your eyes.
Your eyes are very sensitive and can easily become infected when
you do not clean your lenses properly. The lens develops a build
up of deposits that can irritate the eye. Lens cleaning
solutions will break down the deposits and disinfect the lens.
Unless you are wearing disposable lenses you must clean your
contacts after every wear. Use an appropriate lens case for
storage and clean the case and allow to air dry between uses.
Do you try to extend the wearing of your contacts? You should
refrain from doing this as it can cause discomfort. Some
contacts are meant to be thrown out after one day of wear.
Others can be worn for a week or a month without removing them
in between. Most require removal and cleaning every day. It is
important to know the schedule your contacts are intended for to
prevent problems with your eyes.
Removing your contacts can be a chore at the end of the day but
it is important to remove them properly. When you remove or
insert your contacts be sure to handle them with clean, dry
hands. Avoid washing your hands with soaps containing perfumes
or oils and don't allow sunscreen, hand cream or nail polish
remover to come in contact with them.
If your eyes are dry and irritated you can also use eye drops to
remoisten your contacts while wearing them rather than trying to
take them out. In fact, if your eyes do feel dry and the contact
is sticking try to remoisten your contacts before attempting to
remove them.
If you wear makeup you should insert the contacts before
applying cosmetics and remove them before washing cosmetics off.
Powders and sprays can irritate contact lens wearers so be
careful when applying powdery shadows or hair spray when wearing
contact lens.
If your eyes do become irritated when wearing your contacts do
not rub them! This can be very harmful to the lens or your eye.
If it is not comfortable to wear them, simply remove them and
clean them in cleaning solution before putting them in again.
Sometimes it is best to wait a day or two before trying to put
them back in. Make sure you store them properly during this time.
Your vision is pretty important so you want to take care to
protect it from harm. This means seeing your eye doctor
regularly and following his directions for care. If you do think
you've injured or infected your eye do not wear your contacts
until you have been seen by an eye care specialist.