10 Tips for Proper Contact Lenses Care

I remember begging…BEGGING…my parents for contact lenses. I had these overly humongous glasses that were NOT cute. My mom is adamant that the glasses I wore were always my decision, but I seem to have a different outlook on the story myself. It wasn’t until I was actually 14 and playing sports that I actually got contact lenses. Andrew remembers getting his contacts around the time we was 12 or 13 and said that he didn’t really have to beg…lucky him.  We both remember our parents and the optometrist we each saw being very firm about how we took care of them.  And both chuckled that we probably followed those steps for the first month or so, but then both did things we knew we shouldn’t.  Fast forward to present day and we are much more strict about following the rules regarding proper care of our contacts.  We do worry that one or both of our girls will also need eyewear and eventually contact lenses and we plan to really instill the importance of proper care.

We have partnered with the American Optometric Association for this post to remind you of proper lens care.  Here are their tips:

• Have annual eye exams.  Your eyes are constantly changing and it’s important for proper care to be in regular contact with your optometrist to ensure you have the best for your eyes.  This is especially true for someone like me who recently had a baby, as pregnancy can change your vision.
• Only use contacts for the suggested duration.  This means if you have bi-weekly lenses that you actually change them out every two weeks. Not doing so can cause permanent eye damage from bacterial infections.
• Make sure to remove your lenses every night to avoid oxygen deprivation to your eyes.
• Wash and dry your hands before handling your lenses – both putting them in and taking them out
• Clean and rinse your lenses with a proper solution to remove mucus, secretions, films, and/or deposits that build up with wear by carefully using the solution and rub the lenses with your fingers
• Soak lenses overnight in a recommended multi-purpose disinfectant solution
• Replace your lens storage case every three months
• Never re-use old solution
• Do not wear lenses if you have red or painful irritation to your eyes
• Rinse and dry your lens case and store upside down when not in use

Andrew and I are pretty good about most of these things as adults; however, quite honestly, I never knew that you should replace your case every three months. We’ll be updating that as soon as I’m finished writing this.

Proper vision is vital as eye care can effect the whole body.  The American Optometric Association represents almost 40,000 doctors, students, assistants, and technicians that perform nearly 70% of first-time eye exams for Americans.  I know we will be taking a more active role in our vision care and our contact lenses, as well as ensuring our children do as well if they ever need care. Learn more about healthy contact lens care by visiting the American Optometric Association here or see the infographic below.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.