Let’s Continue Talking About Contact Lenses

Welcome back!

Lets continue talking bout contacts lenses!

Wear Schedule

All contacts lenses have an indicated wear schedule. 

Hard lenses; can be worn for years, with proper care.

On the other hand, soft contacts; can only be worn for the designated length of time.

Soft contact lenses come in Monthly, Bi-Weekly, and Daily wear. 

I cannot stress enough how important it is that you DO NOT OVER WEAR your contact lenses!

The wear schedule for Monthly and Bi-Weekly contacts are NOT suggestions. 

Soft lenses last for a specified length of time.

Once over that period, the material of the contact lens starts to degrade and dry out. 

The lenses can become uncomfortable, potentially cause corneal ulcers and Papillary Conjunctivitis.

If remembering to not over-wear your contact lenses is a concern of yours, there are Daily Contacts.

With this option, you can dispose of the lens at the end of your day. 

Care Routine

Unlike glasses, contact lenses require a specific care routine.

Hard Contacts are composed of a thick plastic material.

Because of the material and the length of wear, hard contacts must be clean and conditioned with a specific contact solution. 

Over time they can develop calcium build-up that our opticians will polish off.

If not taken care of, hard contacts can crack or completely break.

Soft contacts are not as high maintenance as hard contacts.

Soft Monthly and Bi-Weekly contacts should be removed every night and stored in a hydrating solution in a clean case.

Neglecting to place your contact lenses in a solution will dry them out and make them completely unusable.

Daily contacts are pretty easy to use as they do not require a case or solution, and you can throw them away at the end of the day.

Eye health

Healthy eyes are eyes that can wear contacts!

But, there are a few things you need to know to keep your eyes healthy.

First, hand hygiene should be a part of our daily practice to help ward off all infections, including eye infections.

Don’t rely on hand sanitizers; the alcohol content may sting your eye.

Warm water and soap are the recommended hand washing routine to use when inserting and removing contacts.

Also, only use an approved contact lens solution to store and clean your contacts.

NEVER use water to clean your contacts lenses!

Water has some bacteria and microorganisms that can cause severe eye infections.

And it should go without saying; but, NEVER use saliva to clean your contacts either. 

(It has happened. I have seen it. Please do not do it.)

Lastly, use a fresh solution and a clean case when storing your contact lenses. 

Contact lenses pick up quite a bit of debris while being worn. 

New solution will help to ensure your contacts are getting cleaned while helping to avoid eye infections.

Your contact case is another area where bacteria can grow. 

So, make sure you switch out cases every three months and clean your case regularly with soap

and warm water.

How To Start Using Contacts

Do you think you are ready to use contacts?

Speak with your doctor at your next visit!

Your doctor will determine if you are a good candidate for contacts and what sort of lenses would suit you. 

Make sure to schedule enough time for the day of your exam; if you are a good candidate for contacts, an optician

will need to teach you how to insert and remove them!