Contact lenses are a great way to ensure optimal vision without the inconvenience of wearing glasses everywhere. That said, if you’re new to using contact lenses, they can come with their own set of challenges. Understanding proper care and maintenance, as well as potential risks and challenges associated with wearing contact lenses, is important.
Use the tips in this article as a guide to help you get acquainted with your new contact lenses.
Put Your Contact Lenses Carefully
Putting contact lenses in your eyes can feel overwhelming at first, but once you get the hang of it, it’s actually quite simple.
- Relax – If you’re shaking or stressed, getting the contact lenses to sit where you need them to can be difficult.
- Wash your hands – It’s important to ensure your hands are clean so you’re not introducing harmful bacteria to your eyes.
- Hold your eyelids open – Using your thumb and index finger on one hand, hold your eyelids open to prevent yourself from blinking.
- Place the contact lens on your other index finger – Be sure to handle the lens carefully.
- Look away from the lens – Avoid looking directly at the contact lens – instead, look upwards and place the contact lens near the bottom of your pupil.
- Let go of your eyelids – Once the lens is securely sitting on your eye, let go of your eyelids and close your eyes to enable the contact to settle.
Keep Your Contacts Clean
Your contact lenses should be cleaned between every wear. You can do this by storing them in contact lens solution when you’re not wearing them—always ensure they’re stored in a case designed for contact lenses.
Additionally, you can use saline solution to rinse the solution and debris off your contact lenses before inserting them into your eyes.
Keep Your Contacts Hydrated
In addition to ensuring your contact lenses are clean, it’s just as important to keep them moist. While storing them in solution between wears does keep them moist when they’re not in your eyes, using contact lens eyedrops while wearing them, especially when working on screens or watching television, can ensure they don’t dry out during the day.
Change Contacts According to the Recommended Schedule
Your optician will recommend either continuous, daily or monthly contact lenses, and it’s important to ensure you’re changing them out as necessary. Daily contact lenses can be disposed of after each wear while monthly lenses should be stored in solution as outlined above.
If you’re prescribed continuous-wear contact lenses, it’s best to discuss recommendations with your optician to determine when they should be replaced and how long they can be worn.
Keep Glasses On-Hand
There may be times when your eyes become dry, irritated, or fatigued with contact lenses. When this happens, it’s important to take breaks from wearing them and stick with glasses for a day or two.
In the event that irritation, dryness, or blurred vision continues after taking a short break from wear, be sure to speak to an optician or optometrist.
Schedule a Contact Lens Specific Eye Exam
If you’re planning on making the switch from full-time glasses wearer to contact lens wearer, it’s important to schedule an eye exam specifically for contact lenses. While your prescription will be similar to your glasses, your optician will need to take measurements to ensure the right fit for your contact lens.
Contact Eyewear Experts to schedule an exam for contact lenses in Red Deer.
