Contact Lenses: Wear & Care Tips
The information below is intended as a supplement to the training and instruction you receive as part of a contact lens fitting program.
How to insert your lenses
- Wash your hands with a mild soap, rinse completely and dry with a lint-free towel. A wet finger may cause a soft lens to flatten. Avoid using fingernails to handle your lenses.
- If you're working near a sink, close the drain.
- Get in the habit of always working with the same (right or left) lens first to avoid mix-ups.
- Pour the lens and storage fluid from the case into your palm.
- Inspect the lens for particles, deposits or tears.
- Place the lens, cup side up, on your dry forefinger. Determine if the lens is right side out. If it is right side out, the lens' edge will appear almost straight up. If inside out, the edges will flare out slightly. Another test is to place the lens on a crack in the palm of your hand and then cup the hand slightly. This will flex the lens. If the edge of the lens curls inwards, it is the correct way out; if the edge curls outwards and wraps onto the palm of the hand, it is inside out. If it is inside out, reverse it.
- To Insert.
- Hold the upper lashes (or lids) to prevent blinking.
- Pull the bottom eyelid down using your middle finger.
- Look up so the white part of your eye shows.
- Place the lens onto the exposed white part of your eye.
- Or, instead of looking up, look straight ahead at the lens and gently place it in the center of your eye.
- Remove your finger and let go of the lids, bottom lid first, and then top.
- Look downward to help position the lens, then close your eyes momentarily.
- Apply one or two drops of lens lubricant (eye drops) if your lenses feel dry or
if blurry vision occurs during wear.
- Follow the same steps to insert the other lens.
How to remove your lenses
- Wash and dry your hands and close any nearby drains.
- With your head straight, look upwards as far as you can.
- Place your middle finger on the lower eyelid of your right eye and pull the eyelid down, then touch the lower edge of the lens with the tip of your index finger.
- While still looking up, slide the lens down to the white part of the eye with your index finger.
- Still looking up and holding the lens under the index finger, move your thumb so that you can compress the lens lightly between the thumb and the index finger. Then gently remove the "folded up" lens from the eye.
- If you have difficulty removing the lens, place a few comfort drops in the eye, wait moments and try again.
- Remove the left lens following the same procedure.
Follow Professional advice
- Wear your contacts only for the length of time recommended, even if they feel comfortable.
- Remove, clean and disinfect your lenses at the intervals prescribed.
- Have regular check-ups.
- Don't sleep or nap while wearing your contacts unless specifically indicated
- Don't use any eye medications without consulting the doctor
Make cleanliness a habit
- Before touching your lenses, wash your hands thoroughly with a mild soap, rinse completely and dry with a lint-free towel.
- Apply eye cosmetics after you insert your lenses. Remove cosmetics after you remove your lenses. Water-based cosmetics are less likely to damage lenses than oil-based products.
- Avoid excessive handling of your lenses.
- Protect your solutions from contamination: Close bottles tightly and never touch the dispensing spouts to any surface.
- Never re-use solutions.
- Ensure that tap water never comes into contact with soft lenses.
- Do not get lotions, creams or sprays in your eyes or on your lenses.
- Avoid wearing lenses in the presence of chemicals, unusual air pollution, intense heat (hair dryer) or when swimming.
- Throw away disposable and frequent or planned replacement lenses after the recommended wearing period.
- Don't use expired products.
- Never skip steps in lens care. Cleaning is not enough.