9 Things You Should Never Do With Your Contact Lenses

Good vision contributes to overall well-being and independence for individuals of all ages, so it’s important to never cut corners on healthy contact lens wear and care. Here are 9 things you should never do with your contact lenses.

Contact lenses are a medical invention that makes life so much more convenient for people with vision problems. However, your contact lenses require daily care and your eye doctor will give you instructions on how to wear and care for them.

Failing to follow these instructions can result in:

• A higher risk of developing an eye infection
• Corneal scarring
• Corneal ulcers
• Dry and irritated eyes

Our Calgary Eye Doctors Are Providing Eye Emergency Care During COVID-19

At Blink Eyewear, our Calgary eye doctors are still open for eye emergency care, by appointment only. We are also offering telemedicine services, including phone/virtual consultations to help address any concerns you may have about your vision.

Need to Reorder Your Contact Lenses? We Have You Covered!

Deliveries can be arranged for contact lenses or any other eye care products to those in quarantine or those who are feeling unwell.

Want to know more?

CONTACT US

9 Things You Should Never Do With Your Contact Lenses

Contact lenses offer a great alternative to traditional eyeglasses when it comes to correcting your vision, but not taking care of them properly can lead to many kinds of problems, from minor irritation to vision loss.

That’s why it’s so important to follow the contact lens wear and care instructions given to you by your Calgary eye doctor and why you should never do the following with your contact lenses:

1. Handle your contact lenses without washing your hands. If you touch your contact lenses without washing your hands, then you may transfer bacteria to the lens and your eye.
2. Reuse contact lens solution. If you reuse the same contact lens solution, then bacteria will overwhelm the disinfectant and the solution will stop being sterile. If the bacteria then gets onto your lens and eyeball, you could get a serious infection.
3. Not clean your lenses daily. Bacteria, protein, and debris can accumulate on your contact lens and cause immune reactions such as papillary conjunctivitis. So remember to clean your contacts every day with a cleaning solution, gently rubbing the lens with your finger to remove any debris.
4. Put your contact lenses in your mouth. Your mouth has a lot more bacteria than your eye, so never wet your contact lenses with your mouth before wearing them as this can lead to an infection.
5. Overwear your lenses. Make sure you follow a regular schedule where you take your lenses out and allow your eyes to rest. If you overwear your lenses, then your eyes might not get enough oxygen, which can lead to a corneal abrasion, and eventually an infection.
6. Keep your lenses on when your eye is irritated. If your eyes are red or irritated, remove your contact lenses as there could be a tear in the lens, or you might have an infection. Whatever the case, your eyes are rejecting the contact lens, so take it out.
7. Go into the water with your lenses on. Showers, hot tubs, swimming pools, or any other body of water can have bacteria and amoebae that can get onto your lenses and harm your eyes. If you do end up getting water on your lenses, remember to clean them thoroughly afterwards.
8. Leave makeup on your contact lenses. If you are putting on makeup and accidentally get some on your contact lenses, don’t leave it there! Take the lens out, clean and disinfect it, before putting them back in again.
9. Not clean your contact lens case. Your contact lens case needs to be cleaned regularly. Make sure to wash it with gentle soap and water at least once a week. Rinse it thoroughly and let it air dry.

Our Calgary Eye Doctors Are Open During COVID-19 For Eye Emergency Care

All 3 of our Calgary eye clinics are open to serve you. Our Calgary eye doctors are also offering telehealth services, and are happy to have a video or phone consultation with you regarding any questions or concerns you may have.