A patient of mine called me a few weeks ago complaining that her eyes were hurting. I told her to come by the office and I would check her out. After looking at her eyes, I noticed some redness and slight corneal swelling. This concerned me because she was a fairly new patient who had just recently begun wearing contact lens within the past three months.

After administering some tests and gathering some information, it was determined that the source of her eye irritation was stemming from storing her contact lenses improperly and not cleaning her contact lens case. The sad part about this situation is that it happens all too often when it could very easily be avoided.

Caring for your contact lens and the contact lens case correctly is critical to maintaining the ongoing health of your eyes. By improperly cleaning your contact lens case, you are allowing harmful bacteria to build up on your contact lens. Given time, this buildup will begin to irritate your eyes. If left uncorrected, this can seriously damage your visual health.

To avoid this, simply cleanse your contact lens case according to the instruction given by the manufacturer. This will usually include rinsing the case out at regular intervals with a specified cleansing solution or using very hot tap water and then letting the case air dry.

Remember to only use commercial cleansing solutions recommended by your eye care practitioner. Homemade remedies fail to properly destroy the bacteria that are found in contact lenses (and accessories). One of the most destructive known eye infections comes from an ameba named Acanthamoeba. It enters the eye through failure to properly cleanse, handle, and store contact lenses and cases.

In addition to proper cleansing/disinfecting the contact lens case, most eye care practitioners recommend discarding your case every month or every three to four months. Although this may seem like a lot, most designer contact lens cases can be purchased for less than $10 with very basic screw-top cases being available for under $2.

It is important to remember that cleaning the contact lens case is just as important as cleansing the contact lens itself. It only takes a minute to properly cleanse and store your contact lens and case properly. Use only the recommended cleaning solution for your contact lens case and discard your case at appropriate intervals. By doing this, you can eliminate the risk of infection, and ensure the utmost health of your eyes.

Mike Schwartz is the owner of the popular web site Best Contact Lenses Online. His site provides useful tips, resources, and reviews to help you make the best decision when purchasing contact lenses on the Internet.