Wearing contact lenses comes with lots of perks, from the freedom to be in the thick of things when it comes to playing sports, to having more clarity and a greater field of vision. There can be considerable downsides if you don’t know how to wear your contacts safely: infection, irritation and inflammation being among the most common.
As it’s National Eye Health Week, at Camden Contact Lens Centre, your contact lens specialists in London, we thought now would be the perfect time to share our top tips for the safe use of contact lenses!
Practice Good Contact Lens Care
Wash your hands before you handle your contact lenses, whether you’re taking them out or putting them in. If you wear 2-weekly, monthly or extended wear contact lenses, then you need to make sure you take them out and clean them every day and store them safely away in a clean contact lens case at the end of the day.
Never use tap water to clean your lenses – always use the contact lens solution provided by our contact lens practitioners.
If you wear daily disposable contacts, never use them for more than a day and discard them in the bin once removed.
Use Special Eye Drops for Contact Lenses
Whether you’ve been staring at a screen for too long or are experiencing harsher weather conditions, your eyes may feel dry and gritty and for some people, contact lenses can make this worse. Using eye drops can help keep your eyes lubricated but make sure you use the kind that are designed for use with contact lenses. If in doubt, always consult our experts first!
Do Not Wear Contact Lenses When Swimming or Showering
Contact lenses are not designed for prolonged exposure to water, such as when swimming or even when taking a shower. Swimming in the ocean, a lake, river or swimming pool pose particular risks; microbes live in bodies of water and even the chlorinated water of swimming pools can’t kill them all. Your contacts provide an ideal surface for them to attach to, and from there, they can spread to your eyes causing mild to severe contact lens eye infections.
Don’t Use Old or Damaged Contact Lenses
Contact lenses that are past their expiry date, have been worn for their allotted lifetime or are in any way damaged should not be used. They can scratch the surface of your eye, your cornea, resulting in inflammation and an increased risk of infection. This can even result in blood vessels growing into your cornea, which will impair your vision.
Get Your Vision Checked by an Optometrist
Whether you are new to wearing contacts or are an old pro, it’s important to get your vision checked regularly by an optometrist to ensure your contact lenses aren’t causing you any problems and your prescription is accurate. For Camden opticians that specialise in contact lenses, look no further than Camden Contact Lens Centre; book your eye examination or contact lens check up with us today!