Caring for your lenses means caring for your eyes

Keeping your eyes healthy

Few things affect your quality of life more than your eyes and you should never put them at risk. As a contact lens wearer proper care and regular renewal of your contacts are essential in keeping your eyes healthy.

To keep your eyes healthy, it is of critical importance that all types of contact lenses including coloured ones are fitted properly by an optometrist. Your optometrist will make sure that you will get the most suitable contact lens which meets best the needs of your eyes and your lifestyle.

To get the most out of your contact lenses you need to treat them well and follow the lens care directions given to you by your optometrist.

Choosing the lens that's right for you

Not all contact lenses are the same. A number of different factors, such as age, lifestyle and vision correction, go into determining which type of contact lenses is right for each individual wearer. Because of this, only an optometrist can tell you which lens best meets your specific needs.

With more choices than ever before, today is an exciting time for wearers of soft contact lenses. Most of today's contact lenses are recommended for frequent replacement and are offering wearers the opportunity to maximize their vision while maintaining excellent eye health.

All lenses can be broken down into 2 main categories based on whether they can be worn overnight or not.

Daily wear contact lenses

Daily wear contact lenses are to be worn throughout the day and need to be removed every night before going to sleep. They are discarded after a certain period of time and replaced with a new pair. It is important to know that by shortening the replacement cycles the complication rate with contact lens wear will reduce significantly.

Remember this simple truth: the more often you replace your contacts the less likely complications will occur.

Some daily wear lenses are discarded every day, while others are discarded after one or two weeks or longer. If these lenses are reused, they must be cleaned and disinfected before being worn again.

If you do not want to clean your lenses every day, or if you suffer from allergies, daily disposables might be the best solution for you. Since you discard them every night, and replace them every morning with a fresh and new pair of lenses there is no day-to-day deposit build up and lens cleaning is not necessary. Therefore, many optometrists and contact lens wearers feel that daily disposable contact lenses are the healthiest and most convenient way of wearing contact lenses.

Extended wear contact lenses

Extended wear contact lenses are worn overnight until the end of the wearing time recommended by your optometrist. Some extended wear lenses are discarded when removed. Others are cleaned, disinfected and reused before being replaced. Always follow the guidelines given by your optometrist.

Did you know sharing contact lenses is dangerous and means taking a big risk with the safety and health of the eyes? Contact lenses are uniquely fitted for a person's individual eyes and should never be shared with anyone else.

Wear them right and protect your sight

There's more to contact lens replacement than the great feeling of placing fresh, new lenses on your eyes. It is also critical to your eye health. You may find it illogical to throw away your lenses while you feel your vision and comfort are still good. However, eye problems often have no symptoms early on and vision can be reduced considerably without detection if it occurs in small increments.

To avoid complications, you should throw away your lenses before any degradation of performance will occur. Following the recommended replacement schedule of your optometrist prevents you from future problems.

The more often you replace your lenses by a fresh new pair the healthier it is for your eyes.

Sometimes, however, it is difficult to remember when to replace your lenses.

Write your lens replacement date on your calendar. If you have an electronic calendar, program it to remind you to change your lenses. It`s also good idea to keep a visual reminder in the area of your house where you insert and remove your lenses everyday. For example, keep a note next to your toothbrush holder or on the mirror to remind you when it's time for a fresh pair of lenses. And remember: if in doubt, always take a new fresh pair of lenses.

Contact lenses are medical devices and should be treated as such. Just like with any medical device failing to follow prescribed directions increases the risk of health problems with your contact lenses:

• Daily wear contact lenses should never be worn overnight without approval from your optometrist. Doing so can deprive your eyes of oxygen and reduce their ability to fight off infection.
• Always replace your lenses as directed by your optometrist. Wearing them too long without replacement can lead to a buildup of lens deposits that may result in irritation and/or reduced vision. Remember the more often you replace your lenses the healthier your eyes will be.

Caring for your lenses means caring for your eyes.

Your lens wearing and replacement schedules are critical to your eyes health. Another area where it is important for you to comply with the instructions given by your optometrist is proper lens care and maintenance:

• Hand washing is always the first step before handling contact lenses, whether that is lens removal, lens insertion, or lens cleaning. Otherwise, anything found on the hands can be transferred to the lens, including bacteria and other micro-organisms.
• Non-perfumed anti-bacterial liquid soap dispensers are preferable to bars of soap, which can be contaminated more easily.
• All soap must be thoroughly rinsed off the hands before the lenses are handled to avoid contamination.
• The hands should always be dried with a lintfree towel to prevent getting lint on the lenses.
• Any contact lens that is worn more than once must be cleaned and disinfected before being placed back onto the eye. It is because pathogenic germs could cause complications and substances like protein, calcium and lipid that are found naturally in your tears could build up on the surface of all contact lenses. They may reduce the comfort of your contact lenses and make your eyes more prone to infection.

Lens Solutions

Did you know all contact lens solutions cannot be used with all contact lenses?

Contact lens solutions differ, just like your contact lenses. Multi-purpose solutions are a convenient way to care for your lenses as you can use this single solution for cleaning, disinfection and rinsing of your lenses.

Although most multi-purpose solutions can be used with most soft contact lenses, some exceptions might be possible depending on the different ingredients of the solution and contact lens material compatibility. Always consult your optometrist and only use the solutions that they recommend. You should also follow the directions given on the product label.

Here are some tips:

• Don't touch the open tops of solution bottles, as they will become contaminated.
• Re-cap bottles immediately after use.
• Always ask your optometrist before you switch to a different solution brand.
• Remember to check the expiry dates. Never use solutions where the best before date has expired.

Cleaning your lenses

Did you know proper cleaning and rinsing of contact lenses together can eliminate at least 90% of bacteria that may be on them?

The best time to clean and disinfect soft contact lenses that will be reused is immediately upon removal.

Traditionally, this is done by placing the lens in the clean dry palm of one hand and applying a few drops of a daily cleaning solution. Using your little finger to gently rub the front and back surface of each lens.

Rinse thoroughly with the solution care and place the lens into the lens case. Fill each chamber of the lens case with solution, close the lids and leave the lenses to soak until you have to change the storing solution as indicated in the usage guide of the contact lens care solution.

Lens case hygiene is one of the most frequently overlooked aspects of lens hygiene. On lens insertion, contact lens cases must be emptied of solution, rinsed with fresh disinfecting solution and led to air dry on a daily basis. A dry case is important as microbes cannot multiply in dry conditions. Cases should be replaced frequently, ideally monthly.

Your optometrist will give you more information on the importance of following proper cleaning procedures. If you properly follow your optometrist's recommendations, you will enjoy convenience and clear vision of contact lenses without any interruptions.

Visit your optometrist

Visiting your optometrist regularly is important for your eye and overall health.

Visiting your optometrist on a regular basis is the single most important way to identify any eye problems and maintain good vision and healthy eyes. Remember, some eye disorders can go unnoticed for a long time before symptoms occur. A missed eye exam is also a missed chance to check for potential health problems like diabetes or high blood pressure, which often show their earlier signs in the eyes. Routine eye examinations can spot signs of such problems before they cause irreversible damage to your eyes and overall health.

Share the knowledge

If you gained something by reading this literature, there's a good chance that a family member or friend could also benefit. So spread the word to the people you care about. It's worth it.