The biggest fear surrounding wearing contact lenses is that they will get stuck to your eyes, scratch them and even damage your eyesight. This is why a solution exists, to prevent all this from happening. Together with practice and proper hygiene practices you can enjoy the wonders, convenience and ease of wearing contact lenses. While it may feel weird at first inserting and removing your lenses, the key is to relax, and take your time, in no time you will realise the stress and fear is much bigger than the process.
1. Keep your contacts clean at all times:
First and foremost always wash your hands well before touching your eyes, contact lenses or solution.
NEVER EVER clean your contacts with water, not even for a “quick rinse”. Although the solution looks clear like water, it is not the same. Water has chemicals in them (that we sometimes forget about) that make it safe for us to drink, similarly, there are special chemicals in contact lens solutions aimed at keeping your lenses clean and healthy for direct contact with our delicate eyeballs.
2. Keep your solution fresh:
Replace your solution every 3 months and don’t make the mistake of reusing the solution. If you think you’re saving on cost, you’re compromising the health of your eyes and your lens's safety. Have a look at our range of solutions like our Biotrue Multi-Purpose Solution Flight Pack or our Opti Free Express, both solutions are priced at under £10 each. I mean, after all, it’s only your eyes we’re talking about!
3. Stick to your prescription:
Don’t make the mistake of swimming or sleeping with your contacts on. Contacts are meant to be germ-free and used when your eyes are open. As obvious as that sounds, remember a pool has hundreds of germs and amoebas that your contact lenses will not appreciate. Just don’t do it.
This one ties in with the previous point- don't wear your contacts for longer than your optometrist prescribes.
4. Don’t rub your eyes:
As weird as it may feel, whilst you’re still getting used to wearing contacts, it’s very important to resist the urge of rubbing your eyes or sticking your finger in them randomly. This can cause damage to your lenses and your eyes. If something is in your eye, remove your contacts safely with solution, wash your eyes, then put your lenses back using a solution. Don’t mix water and solution ever, as the chemical compounds in both of them are not the same. If your eyes feel dry and need some moisturising, try our Vizulize eye drops, which is suitable for contact lenses as well as direct use.
5. Get your eyes tested regularly:
Let us not forget that glasses and contact lenses are there to improve your eyesight. Once you get your prescriptions it does not mean that’s the end of your visits to the optometrist. Your eyesight can improve after wearing contact lenses or glasses and as a result, you may need to get a new prescription, but this can only be discovered if you get your eyes tested once a year to track changes and improvements.
It is completely normal to feel nervous about sticking something in your eye on purpose and that’s why we encourage safe hygienic practices at all times because if you take good care of your lenses, they will take great care of your eyes, which is a win-win solution for everyone. Contact lenses are a great option if you don’t like wearing spectacles or want to change your eye colour whilst improving your eyesight. Speak to your optometrist today about your options.
Remember your eyes are your personalised windows to the world, so keep them healthy and enjoy the view.
- Ari