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.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Proper Care Of Contact Lenses For Better Vision And Healthy Eyes
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Contact Lenses: Replace Them For Healthy Eyes
Contact lenses have seen an explosion in popularity over recent years. More convenient and affordable than ever before many people are opting to take off their glasses.
For anyone wishing to make the switch to contact lenses, one of the most important things you will need to know about is the replacement schedule for your contact lenses.
What Is A Replacement Schedule?
There are two important schedules contact lens wearers need to follow in order to maintain good eye health. One is called the wearing schedule; the other is called the replacement schedule.
- The Wearing Schedule: refers to how many hours you leave your contacts in and how often you remove them, clean them and store them.
- The Replacement Schedule: refers to how often you dispose of and buy new contact lenses.
While most people understand how often to remove contact lenses (the wearing schedule), it is also very important for the health of your eyes to understand how often to dispose of and replace your contact lenses.
How Often Should Contact Lenses Be Replaced?
There are a number of different types of lenses to choose from and each has its own optimal replacement time.
- Disposable Lenses: These need to be disposed of and replaced daily, weekly or bi-weekly according to manufacturers’ instructions. Most eye care professionals advocate the use of daily lenses, which are put in first thing in the morning and then removed and thrown away before sleep. This kind of a daily regime removes the danger of bacteria contaminating your contact lenses.
- Extended/Continuous Wear Lenses: The new product on the market, these are designed to be worn consistently (even while sleeping) for up to one week or one month and then discarded.
- Frequent Replacement Lenses: These are designed to be replaced monthly, quarterly, or biannually on a schedule determined by your eye care professional.
- Traditional Lenses: These are reusable and should be replaced quarterly, biannually or annually on a schedule determined by your eye care professional.
Personalize Your Schedule
Just because the box says you can re-use your contact lenses for up to two weeks doesn’t mean your eyes will agree. Everyone’s eyes tolerate the use of contact lenses differently and some people are more sensitive than others. This is why it is important to discuss a replacement schedule with your eye care professional and stick with it.
If you find your eyes become irritated easily then you may need a shorter replacement schedule or a different kind of lens.
Why Do We Need To Replace Contact Lenses?
Even with proper cleaning and maintenance substances such as proteins and lipids (found naturally in tears) build up over time and adhere to your contact lenses. This film can cause discomfort in the form of red, itchy eyes and also provide a place for germs to live. These germs can cause nasty infections to occur which in rare cases can destroy your cornea. That is why it is vital for continuing eye health to replace your contact lenses frequently.
Cost Versus Safety
It is important to factor in the cost of replacement contact lenses when you make the decision to wear them. Never wear lenses past their recommended usage time in order to save money. Many people who have tried this have ended up with bacterial infections that can do permanent eye damage. You also run the risk of irritating your eyes to the point where you can never wear contact lenses again.
Ensure the health and safety of your eyes and replace lenses frequently.