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Choosing the right contact lenses, including colored lenses, is critical to maintaining the health of your eyes. Your eye care professional can provide the vision correction you need and help you choose contact lenses that fit your lifestyle. To get the most out of your contact lenses, you need to care for them properly, following the guidelines your eye care professional will give you.
Not all contact lenses are created equal. The choice of contact lenses depends on many factors, such as age, lifestyle, and vision correction needs, so only an eye care professional can select the best lens for you. Most modern contact lenses provide excellent vision and eye health. Contact lenses are usually divided into 2 categories based on the fact that they cannot be taken out at night.
Daily disposable contact lenses
Daily disposable contact lenses are designed to be worn during the day and should be removed before going to bed. After a certain period of time, it is recommended to throw away the lens and use a new pair. It is important to know that frequent lens replacement can significantly reduce the risk of complications associated with contact lens wear.
Remember the simple truth: the more often you replace your lenses, the fewer eye health problems you will have. Some daily disposable lenses are replaced daily, while others are replaced every one to two weeks or once a month. Lenses should be cleaned and disinfected before being reinserted. For those who don’t like to take care of their lenses daily, or who have allergies, daily disposable lenses are the best solution. Many eyecare professionals and contact lens wearers believe that daily lens replacement is the healthiest and most convenient way to wear contact lenses.
Daily disposable lenses can be removed overnight until the expiration date specified by your eye care professional. Some extended wear lenses are recommended for disposal after removal, while others can be reapplied after cleaning and disinfection. It is important to follow your eye care professional’s recommended schedule.
Did you know that wearing someone else’s lenses is not safe for your eye health? Contact lenses are fit strictly according to the individual characteristics of the patient’s eye, so it is unacceptable to allow others to wear your lenses. Proper lens fitting protects your health.
Regular lens replacement is important not only for the pleasure of feeling new and clean, but also for the health of your eyes.
It may seem counterintuitive to throw away lenses that are still providing good vision and comfort, but remember that eye diseases are usually asymptomatic in the early stages, and a sudden decline in vision can be an unpleasant surprise.
To avoid complications, discard used lenses before you notice a decline in vision and comfort. Following your optician’s recommended replacement schedule can help prevent problems.
The more often you replace your lenses with a new, clean pair, the better for your eye health. Some people have trouble remembering when to replace their lenses. If this is the case, it’s best to mark the correct date on your calendar ahead of time.
If you have an electronic calendar, set it to remind you when your lenses are due.
There are potential health risks associated with the misuse of contact lenses and other medical devices. Do not leave lenses on your eyes overnight without your optician’s permission, as this may deprive your eyes of oxygen. Always replace contact lenses with new ones according to the schedule recommended by your eye care professional.
Prolonged use of contact lenses can cause deposits to build up, which can lead to eye inflammation and impaired vision. Remember, the more often you replace your lenses, the better off your eyes will be.
Caring for your lenses means caring for your eye health
Following the recommended contact lens wearing and replacement regimen is critical to your eye health. It is also important to follow your optician’s instructions for lens care and use. Be sure to wash your hands before removing, applying, or cleaning contact lenses.
Otherwise, all hands, including bacteria and other pathogens, will adhere to the lens. It is recommended that an unscented antibacterial liquid soap be used for hand washing, rather than a commercial soap that is prone to contamination. Hands should be washed thoroughly to prevent soap from sticking to contact lenses. Wipe your hands with a smooth towel to prevent fine fibers from getting into your lenses.
Recent studies have shown the danger of bacteria in running water. Therefore, do not use running water for washing contact lenses and wipe your hands thoroughly dry. Lenses that have been worn more than once should be rinsed and disinfected before being reapplied. Otherwise, pathogens can cause eye inflammation, deposits of proteins, fats, and calcium, including tears, form on the lens surface, and the formation of deposits leads to decreased comfort when wearing the lens, which reduces the eye’s resistance to various infections.
Contact lens solutions
Did you know that not all multifunctional solutions are suitable for all types of contact lenses? Contact lens solutions are as varied as contact lenses themselves. A multi-purpose solution combines lens cleaning, disinfecting and rewetting in one step, making it much easier to maintain.
Most multi-purpose solutions are suitable for all types of soft contact lenses, but there are some exceptions depending on the composition of the solution and its compatibility with the lens material. Always consult your optician when choosing a solution, and only use products recommended by your optician. Remember to follow the directions on the label.
Here are a few general rules of thumb:
Do not touch the neck of an open multipurpose solution bottle, as there is a risk of dirt getting into the solution. Close the bottle immediately after use. Always consult an eye care professional before replacing the solution you are using with another brand of solution. Check the expiration date of the solution and remember not to use expired solution.
Contact lens cleaning
Did you know that proper contact lens cleaning and disinfection can remove up to 90% of bacteria from your lenses? It is best to clean and disinfect reusable soft contact lenses immediately after removal.
To clean, the lens is usually placed on a clean, dry palm, a few drops of daily care solution are applied, and the front and back surfaces of the lens are gently rubbed with the little finger. The lens is then thoroughly rinsed with the solution and placed in a special storage case.
Fill the lens case with solution, close the lid, and leave the lenses in the solution. Periodically (daily if you wear lenses daily), replace the solution in the case with fresh solution. After inserting the lens, drain the solution from the lens case and rinse the lens case with fresh antiseptic solution.
Lens storage cases should be replaced on a regular basis, ideally once a month. Your optician can provide you with detailed information on proper lens storage case cleaning. By following your optician’s recommendations, you can enjoy the comfort of contact lenses and excellent vision. Regular visits to your eye care professional are important for the health of your eyes and your entire body.
Regular eye exams are the only sure way to detect eye disease and maintain good vision and eye health. Remember that some eye diseases can be asymptomatic for long periods of time. Skipping an eye exam is a missed opportunity to check for potential health threats (diabetes or high blood pressure), the first sign of which is an eye exam. Regular eye exams can help detect health problems before disease causes irreparable damage to the eyes and body.