By Healthy Habits for Healthy Eyes
Millions of people wear contact lenses in the U.S. every day, often to help correct their vision. However, not everyone follows their doctor’s instructions when it comes to wearing, cleaning, or storing their lenses, which can potentially result in a serious and debilitating eye infection. Fortunately, Contact Lens Health Week is all about helping patients learn how to better care for their contact lenses and overall eye health. Below are a few tips on how to properly wear, clean, and store your lenses.
- Before touching your contact lenses, always wash your hands with warm water and soap, and dry them completely with a clean, dry cloth. This will prevent any residue or bacteria from getting on your lenses.
- Unless you have special lenses prescribed by your doctor, avoid sleeping in your contact lenses.
- Try to keep your lenses dry. This means avoid swimming or showering while wearing your contact lenses.
Don’t Skip Your Eye Exams
Scheduling regular eye exams is another important step in protecting long-term eye health. Below are some important things to remember when scheduling your appointments:
- Schedule appointments on a yearly basis or as often as your eye doctor recommends.
- If you’re ever unsure about how to care for your lenses or are having trouble putting them in, make sure you let your eye doctor know.
- If you ever experience discomfort, pain, or blurred vision, remove your lenses and contact your eye doctor.
Final Thoughts
For many people, contact lenses are the difference between poor, blurred vision, and great vision. However, they come with their share of risks, particularly where eye infections are concerned. That’s why it’s important to know how to properly wear and care for lenses.
If you or one of your patients want to learn more about how to wear, care, or store lenses, check out Contact Lens Health Week. Is your office participating in raising awareness about proper eye health and contact lens care this week?
