While more and more people are now wearing contact lenses, and most do so without any difficulty or health consequences, you should be aware, if you are a contact lens user, that there are a number of health issues that require you to take extra care. This is especially true if you are new to contact lenses and have not worn them before. Most of the steps described here are very simple and quick, and can drastically improve your contact lens hygiene thus decreasing any chance of infection of problems.
The first thing to remember is to keep clean hands. This means keeping your finger nails short and clean, washing your hands with soap before touching your contact lenses and drying them properly. Make sure that no soap, cream, toothpaste or anything else is on your hands when you touch your contact lenses.
How to put in contact lenses?
Before inserting your contact lenses you should make sure they are wet with saline solution. This will make the contacts a lot more comfortable and safe to wear. Once you have inserted your contact lens, cover the other eye to make sure that your vision is clear. This will indicate that the lens has been inserted correctly and is free from contaminants.
How to remove contact lenses?
You should take the same precautions when removing your contact lenses. Make sure that your hands are clean and dry. This is just as important when you are removing the lens. However, it is surprising how many people wash their hands for inserting the lens but fail to take this simple precaution when removing the lens.
Once your lens is out what you do with it will depend on the type of contact lens it is and the instructions of the lens manufacturer. However, as a general rule you should always obey what the manufacturer says. If the lens is a disposable lens, then throw it away after use. Don’t think they are trying to con you out of more money by making you buy fresh lenses for each day. While this may be true, it is not safe to reuse disposable lenses.
If the lens is reusable, then make sure that you do not just leave it lying on the counter until the next morning. You should clean or sterilize the lens with the solution provided and always store your lens in a proper contact lens case.