How To Wear Contact Lenses Safely: Essential Dos and Don’ts

Switching to contact lenses can be exciting, especially if you’ve been wearing eyeglasses for many years.

Contact lenses improve your vision more naturally since they don’t have frames that can obstruct your sight. They are also more convenient to wear; you don’t have to be extra careful when you play sports, and they don’t fog up. Specialised contact lenses help reduce glare and light sensitivity as well.

The switch from eyeglasses to contact lenses in Dubai, though, can be fraught with challenges. Drawing on years of experience, our eye specialists in Dubai have put together a list of dos and don’ts to help you use contacts safely and avoid the usual problems that come with the transition.

Dos

To get the most out of your contact lenses, follow these tips:

1. Know the right way to put on and remove contact lenses.

Knowing how to wear contact lenses correctly helps you avoid damaging and replacing them frequently.

Start by keeping your nails short. When you have long fingernails, you’re more likely to scratch and damage your contacts.

Your eye specialist will walk you through the steps of putting on and removing your contact lenses. Make sure you follow them, especially the most important one, which is using your fingertips instead of your nails to handle the lens.

Check each lens for torn or damaged spots and ensure it’s right-side out before inserting it in your eyes. If you need to unfold the edges, avoid holding the lens tightly in the middle and run it under the solution.

Your eye specialist will teach you how to remove your contact lenses. When removing a lens, gently slide it down to the white of your eye and take it out.

2. Handle your contact lenses with clean hands.

Always wash your hands with soap and water before touching your contact lenses. This habit prevents the transfer of germs and bacteria from your hands to your contacts.

Use soap free of extra oils or fragrances because these substances can stick to the lens. Remember to dry your hands with a clean tissue or a lint-free towel to avoid transferring particles that may stick to your contacts.

Avoid rubbing lotion or cream on your hands before handling a lens since these products may also leave remnants that can affect clarity.

3. Clean your lenses and their storage case regularly.

Now that you know how to put on contact lenses, the next thing to remember is to keep them and their case clean.

Use a multipurpose solution and the ‘rub and rinse’ cleaning method, which involves rubbing the lenses and then rinsing them with the solution. Do this every day before soaking them in the case. Always put fresh solution in the case after cleaning your contact lenses; avoid reusing or topping off the remaining solution.

The contact lens case can also harbour dirt and bacteria. Wash it with warm water and soap every week and air dry it before filling it with the solution. Replace the case every three months and when it’s damaged.

4. Heed your eye doctor’s instructions.

Aside from following your doctor’s instructions regarding putting on and removing your contacts, you also need to heed other important ones, which include:

• Stick to the schedule for wearing and replacing your lenses.
• Use the rewetting drops prescribed by your specialist or one suitable for lubricating the eyes and lenses.
• Remove the lenses if you experience any discomfort.
• See your eye doctor during scheduled follow-up consultations and eye exams.

Keep these in mind to experience a smooth transition to contact lenses.

Don’ts

Avoid the following to ensure your eye health and the longevity of your contact lenses.

1. Wear your contact lenses too long.

As mentioned, avoid overwearing your contacts. Doing so may inflame or irritate your eyes.

Sleeping with your contacts also puts you at a higher risk for infection. As such, remove your contacts before going to bed.

Remember to replace your contact lenses as recommended by your eye doctor. This could be every two weeks, a month, or six months. Make sure you have the replacement ready before your contacts expire.

2. Ignore any discomfort or irritation.

You may experience some discomfort when you first start wearing contact lenses. These can include pain, red eyes, blurry vision, light sensitivity, and eye discharge.

If you experience any of these, remove your contacts and see your specialist or head to the best eye clinic in Dubai, especially if the irritation persists for over 24 hours.

Most contact lens-related infections and irritation won’t cause severe and long-term vision problems when treated immediately. Because of this, do not ignore any signs of discomfort and irritation.

3. Wear your contacts when taking a bath or swimming.

Getting your contacts wet while bathing, swimming, or using the hot tub can lead to an eye infection, such as keratitis and conjunctivitis or pink eye. Remember to remove them before taking a shower or a long soak.

If swimming is part of your fitness routine, wear goggles to protect your contacts. It’s also best to opt for daily disposable lenses so that you can throw them away after each use, which will help you avoid eye infections.

Also, never use tap or bottled water to clean your contacts. Use only the recommended cleaning solution.

4. Get rid of your current eyeglasses.

Since you need to avoid overwearing your contacts, don’t throw away your eyeglasses, especially if you’ve just gotten new ones. You can wear them at night and on days when you don’t want to put on your contact lenses.

You also need to wear your glasses when your eyes are irritated or infected and have to stay away from contacts for a while.

If you need new eyeglasses, schedule an eye exam with your provider of eye care services to ensure you have the right prescription for them.

Avoid developing these unhealthy habits to keep your eyes healthy and safe while wearing contact lenses.

Wearing contact lenses safely entails following good hygiene habits and proper care routines. By doing so, you can protect your eyes and enjoy clear vision without complications.

Schedule an eye exam with Gulf Family Clinic to learn more about contact lenses and your eye health.