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Your contact lenses come into close contact with your eyes. Due to this, it is essential to ensure that your contacts stay in good condition. When you take care of your contacts, you will be able to reduce the chances of infections or other problems with your eyes. There are several steps that you can take to take care of your contacts and keep them in the best possible condition. At Wolcott Optical, we are passionate about providing the necessary services to protect your ocular health. Here are a few of our tips for taking care of your contacts.
Listen to your Optometrist
It is important to follow the directions of your optometrist when it comes to taking care of your contacts. Only wear your contact lenses as prescribed by your optometrist. If your optometrist tells you to replace them daily, it will be essential to do so. You also need to ensure that you visit your optometrist on a regular basis. This will help to ensure that you are wearing the ideal contacts for your eyes. It will also enable you to identify potential injuries to your eyes in the early stages.
Never Share Contacts
This may go without saying, but it is extremely important that you only wear the contacts that have been prescribed to you by your optometrist. You should never share contacts with another person. When you do so, you will likely spread harmful particles and substantially increase your risk of getting an infection. Furthermore, someone else’s contacts won’t be designed especially for your eyes.
Replace when Necessary
Many people wear their contacts for longer than the contacts are intended. It is important to pay attention to the lifetime of your contacts and replace them whenever necessary. For example, you need to discard your contacts daily if you use the daily wear variety. It may be beneficial to take notes on your calendar regarding when you started wearing a particular set of contacts, so you will replace them as recommended.
Don’t Sleep in your Contacts
Many people choose to sleep in their contacts. Unless you are advised otherwise by your optometrist, you should avoid this. When your eyelids are closed, it is more difficult for oxygen to access your eyes. This difficulty is further compounded when you have your contact lenses in. By taking them out before you go to sleep, you can prevent oxygen deprivation from impacting your eyes.
Wash Hands Before Handling
It is extremely important to ensure that you wash your hands thoroughly, with soap, before handling your contacts. This applies to both inserting and removing your contacts. When you wash your hands prior to handling the contacts, you will be able to prevent bacteria or harmful particles from making their way onto your contacts and, eventually, into your eyes.
Use Fresh Solution
Replace your solution every time you remove your contacts. When you use older solution, it isn’t adequately disinfecting your contacts. With fresh solution, you can help to ensure that your solution is doing its task. It is also important to ensure that your contact lenses can sit in the saline solution for the recommended period of time.
Don’t Rinse with Tap Water
It is essential to avoid rinsing your contacts with tap water in any scenario. Even if they feel dry, it is important to ensure you only ever use the appropriate products. Tap water contains many various impurities. These impurities can cause contamination or damage to occur to your contacts. This can lead to significant issues with your ocular health. You also shouldn’t use saliva to wet your contacts.
Taking the steps to care for your contacts will help you to prevent infections and keep your eyes in good condition. When you work with our experts at Wolcott Optical, you can be confident that all the steps will be taken to protect your ocular health. For more information about caring for your contacts or to schedule your regular eye exam, contact us at Wolcott Optical today!
