5 Healthy Contact Lens Habits

According to a recent press release from the American Optometrist Association, nearly 41 million adults in the U.S. (more than one in ten people) and 125 million people worldwide wear contact lenses.  I, myself, have been wearing contact lenses for 20 years, and my husband has them for most of his life.  Obviously when you do something for this long, you have a tendency to develop habits (sometimes good and sometimes bad). Today we are going to talk about the good, as I share 5 healthy contact lens habits.

5 Healthy Contact Lens Habits

  1. Always wear the proper prescription.  I’m sure this seems obvious, but you’d be amazed to find how many people do not wear the proper prescription.
    • The most obvious reason would be that their vision has changed, and they continue to wear the last contacts that were prescribed to them, rather than getting a new prescription.
    • In other cases, people often borrow contacts from a friend or family member with a similar description.
    • Or when they run out of contacts, they may opt to wearing older contacts that are the wrong prescription.
    • And if their contacts are 2 different descriptions, they may decide to start wearing the stronger prescription in both eyes in the event of a vision change, rather than going to the optometrist and getting a new prescription.
  2. Always be aware of expiration dates.  Expiration dates are always important things to note, whether you’re looking at food, medicine, and yes, even contact lenses.
    • The first expiration date you should always be aware of is your contacts prescription expiration date.  As this date approaches, you should make arrangements to have your eyes examined again, or make plans to order new contacts before you prescription runs out.
    • And the second date you should be aware of is the expiration date for you contacts.  This is usually located on your contact box.  And luckily it usually takes a few years for them to expire, so this leaves you free to stock up!Hand Washing
  3. Always wash your hands before handling your contact lenses or touching your eyes.   It’s amazing how many germs we pick up on our hands every day! For this reason, you should always wash your hands before putting your contacts in and before taking them out.
  4. Always wear your contact lenses according to package or optometrist recommended directions.  Again, this seems obviously but many people do not follow the instructions on their contact box!  There are a variety of contact lenses on the market.  Some of these are dailies, but others are to be worn for 2 weeks or a month.  There are also some contacts that you can sleep in and some that you can’t.  Always consult with your optometrist if you have any questions about how and when to wear your contacts.  (I personally wear lenses that are 2 week lenses.  They can be slept in, but I choose not to sleep in mine.  For this reason, my optometrist has advised that I can use the lenses for more than 2 weeks.)  Just remember that not wearing your contacts as directed can result in eye damage and long-term vision problems.Contact Case
  5. Always wash and store your contacts properly. Clean and safe handling of contacts is one of the most important measures to take to protect vision.   Cleaning and proper storage will help to remove deposits and mucus that can lead to bacterial growth on your lenses.  Refer to package and optometrist directions when it comes time to store your contacts lenses each night.  Some require just a simple rinse before being stored, while others need to be cleaned, rinsed, and stored in a disinfecting solution.  No matter how difficult or simple, you should always follow the cleaning and storage directions so that when you store your contacts, they will be as sterile as possible.  Never store your contacts in water and always dump out your contact case and refill it with new solution instead of reusing solution.  Also, you should also make sure that you are placing them in a clean case.  (Don’t forget to clean and change out your cases regularly!)Jerri in Glasses

For more information on contact lens habits and tips, check out the infographic below:

 

If you’re new to contacts or have a teen who’s just now getting them for the first time, I hope you’ll find these tips and information helpful!  For more information, check out the American Optometrist Association.

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I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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