Contact lenses are one of the safest ways to improve your vision in the short term, but they also require proper maintenance and careful storage to be truly effective. Otherwise, you run the risk of your lenses developing bacteria that could lead to infections. Chances are that hygiene slips sometimes (we’re human!) but clean and safe handling of your contact lenses is integral to protecting your eyesight for years to come.
What’s the best way to store contact lenses?
If you wear daily lenses, storage isn’t much of a consideration since you get to dispose of them after each wear. For other types of lenses, the best way to prevent conjunctivitis or other eye-related diseases is to carefully remove your contact lenses with clean hands. Then, clean them individually with lens solution and place them in the correct compartment. The right lens should always go in the right compartment, and the left in the other. Always make sure there is enough lens solution in your case. Clean it out every morning when you put your contact lenses in and add a fresh supply of solution. It’s never a good idea to use tap water to store contact lenses, even if it’s just temporarily, because of the bacteria and microbes in water that could cause eye infections.
There are also some dos and don’ts that come along with contact lens use to help prevent infection and keep your eyesight at its best.
Do
- Wash and dry your hands before handling your contact lenses
- Thoroughly rinse your lenses
- Let your contact case dry completely before refilling with lens solution
- Replace your contact lenses regularly
- Use fresh solution to clean and store your lenses
- Attend your optometrist appointments and schedule regular eye tests (we recommend eye tests every two years)
Don’t
- Insert your lenses with unclean hands
- Go swimming or take a shower with contact lenses in
- Top up your contact case with solution – rinse and refill instead
- Store your lenses with tap water
- Wear for longer than recommended
- Skip your routine eye appointments
Check out our range of contact lenses or top up your supply of contact lens solution by visiting your nearest store.