Contact lenses are a great way to showcase the beauty of your eyes while still experiencing great vision. Many people choose contacts over eyeglasses for convenience, cosmetic preference, and improved sight quality. There are a few common eye safety mistakes that rookie contact lens wearers make.
Inside Out Lenses
You may not think that a thin piece of plastic could cause so much pain, but a flipped contact lens surely can. When you hold your lens to form a cup on the tip of your finger, look at the curve of the lens. If you see a lip on the top edge of the lens, it is inside out and must be flipped before insertion.
Rubbing Your Eyes
When your eyes are tired and irritated, your first instinct can be to have a good, satisfying eye rub. For wearers of contact lenses, this can be an eye safety nightmare. Rubbing your eyes with contacts in can tear the lens, cause scratches on your cornea, and bring on infection. Consult your optometrist if your new contacts are uncomfortable.
Not Cleaning
Irritants such as hairspray, dust, pollen, animal dander, and bacteria will make a beeline right for your contacts. In the interest of eye safety and health, you should clean your lenses and their case on a regular basis. Your optometrist should teach you how to properly care for your new contacts, and you should be sure to adhere to those recommendations.
No Backup Plan
For all lens wearers, it is important to have an adequate supply of lenses, contact solution, plus a pair of eyeglasses with a current prescription. When traveling, but sure to bring a spare pair of lenses with you plus your glasses and supplies. It’s impossible to predict when you might lose or tear a contact, or your summer fun results in an eye infection that forces you to remove your contacts.
Not Using Solution to Wet Lenses
Contact lens wetting solutions are specially formulated to keep your eyes comfortable and infection-free. Do not use water to put in your contacts, since there is no guarantee that the water is sterile, plus is likely to cause your eyes to tear and burn. NEVER use saliva to wet your lenses.
Contact lenses are a wonderful solution to vision correction, as long as you use them as prescribed. Follow your Phoenix optometrist’s eye safety recommendations for comfortable and clear sight.
