Contact lenses can give you crystal-clear vision while maintaining your natural look. They’re safe, comfortable, and convenient – but only if you wear them safely. Improper wear of contact lenses can leave you with discomfort or, worse, can permanently damage your eyes.
Protect your peepers with these three tips to avoid eye damage from contact lenses!
- Don’t wear dirty contacts.
Whenever you put in your contacts, you’re putting whatever’s on them into your eyes. That means wearing fresh, clean lenses that haven’t collected many weeks of dirt, grime, and germs. It also means washing your hands every time you handle your lenses and before you put them in.
Also, change your contact lens case every couple of months. This prevents the growth of mildew or germs that can lead to eye infections. Be certain you’re replacing your lenses as directed, too!
- Care for your lenses properly.
Use only the contact lens solution recommended by your eye doctor. Not all solutions work well for all types of lenses. Never reuse lens solution! Only utilize solution straight out of the bottle when cleaning your contacts.
Avoid using water to clean your lenses, and never use saliva to clean them. If your eyes get dry while wearing them, use eye drops that are formulated for use with contacts.
- Never sleep in your contact lenses.
It can be tempting to leave your contact lenses in overnight so you can wake up with good vision. Unfortunately, unless you have a brand of contact lens that’s designed for overnight wear, this habit can damage your eyes. Sleeping in your contacts (or wearing them for extended periods of time) reduces the oxygen your eye needs to stay healthy. This can damage the surface of your cornea and leave you open to infection.
Wear your contacts only for the recommended amount of time each day. For the best results, skip wearing your contacts one day each week to give your eyes extra time to breathe.
See Clearly with Valley Eyecare Center!
The fall is a terrific time for a vision tune-up, including a fitting for contact lenses! Whether you need to see better for school or want to look your best for the upcoming holiday season, Valley Eyecare Center is here to bring your world into focus. You can contact us online, or call us at (602) 955-2700 for an appointment!
