How to care for your lens properly?
Long-term lens wearers will probably be familiar with how to put on and care for their lenses, but first-time lens wearers may find the memo written by our optometrist Leana Langus very helpful.
1.
Contact lens care
1. Long-term contact lenses (1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, etc.) should be cleaned every time before insertion and after removal.
2. For disposable lenses, the blister should be opened in the morning, the lens should be placed in the eye in the usual way, and in the evening you can simply discard the used lens. No further cleaning is necessary.
3. Before inserting the lens into the eye, remove it from the container and place it on the palm of your hand, drip a few drops of the lens care solution and make a few circular movements to one side and the other. The lens should then be rinsed.
4. The lens can be placed in the eye in the way you are used to and the other eye can be treated in the same way.
5. After applying the lens, it should be cleaned thoroughly. Once the lens has been removed from the eye, it should first be placed in the palm of the hand and a few drops of lens care solution should be dripped onto the lens. Using a circular motion, the lens should be rubbed 10 times, then turned over and repeated. The lens should then be rinsed and placed in the correct opening of the container (left or right side according to the eye).
6. It is not advisable to put too much maintenance fluid in the container, as this may cause the lens to rise to the surface, and the lens may be pulled between the threads when the container lid is unscrewed. It is also not a good idea to put too little liquid in, as this will not clean the lens properly. The container should be half to three quarters full.
7. The contact lens should not be worn for longer than allowed.
8. Unless permitted, it is not a good idea to keep the lens in sight while sleeping.
9. Do not bathe or wash with long-lasting lenses. You can only go swimming with one-day lenses, and then only if you wear proper swimming goggles.
10. Only special lens care products should be used for the care and storage of contact lenses. Contact lenses must not be immersed in other solutions (e.g. water).
The lens of the right eye must be placed in the right eye and the left in the left eye, even if you have lenses of the same power. If inflammation occurs, doing so will not transfer the inflammation to the other eye.
12. Eye drops can also be used if necessary. A good tip is to write the date you opened the bottle in marker.
The container should be changed every three months, and it is advisable to change the container with each new pair of lenses to avoid accumulation of dirt and bacteria.
14. Do not put any liquid left in the container from the previous use in the lens. Each time a lens is removed from the eye, new fluid should be placed in the container.
15. If lenses are left in the container for more than 1 week, the fluid must be changed in the meantime.
16. Avoid getting hairspray or other aerosols on the lens surface.
17. It is also important to observe the expiry date of the maintenance fluid (e.g. Renu, Renu MPS, C-well, Biotrue, Solo Care and Horien up to 3 months and Optifree up to 6 months). 5.
18. It is not recommended to wear the medicine if you have a cold such as a cough or runny nose.
19. If you experience pain or discomfort in your eyes, the lenses should be removed from your eyes immediately. In case of suspected inflammation or injury, contact the EMO or your family doctor.
