Safety Tips When Using Contact Lenses
Before putting on the lenses, it is essential that we clean them thoroughly to prevent possible bacteria or microorganisms that may be in them from entering the eyes
Contact lenses are a staple for millions of people who wear them to achieve the eye color they desire or to improve their vision and quality of life. They hardly require a minimum of effort and time to benefit us and are very comfortable. But there are certain safety tips when wearing contact lenses that we cannot ignore for the benefit of our health.
1. Always follow the instructions of your ophthalmologist
Once the doctor prescribes the use of lenses and indicates that you can opt for contact lenses, be sure to follow the instructions that he gives you on their care, cleaning and use. Some contact lenses are made for one-time use, while others can last for weeks or months. Pay special attention to the instructions to avoid infections or vision problems caused by misuse.
2. Make sure to wash your hands well before touching your glasses
It is very basic advice, but many of us can forget some morning when we are in a hurry and we do not have much time. Hygiene is very important. Remember that our hands are in contact with a large number of germs that can pass through the lenses into your eyes.
3. Don’t share contact lenses
Contact lenses, like makeup or a toothbrush, should never be shared with anyone. We do not know the health problems or hygiene habits that the other person has. Thus, we are putting our health at risk.
4. Store your contact lenses in cleaning solution
Every time you remove your lenses, store them in cleaning solution. This must be fresh and new, it always occupies a clean solution.
If they will be stored for a long time, you should change the solution at least once a day. This advice is vital to maintain the hygiene of the lenses, since every time we store them they carry contaminants with them and there may be bacteria that reproduce in the solution after spending a long time there.
5. Clean your contact lenses thoroughly
Every time you use your lenses, use your fingertips and fresh solution to clean them. This decreases the chances that any remaining bacteria will pass into your eyes.
6. Take off your glasses before sleeping
Your eyes need to be ventilated and if you have already spent a lot of time with the lenses, at least at night you should facilitate this rest. Also, both your eyes and your lenses can become susceptible to dryness.
7. Update your lenses when necessary
Some people have changes in their lens prescription. If this is your case, go to your optometrist to purchase contact lenses that meet the requirements. Sometimes in an attempt to save money, we avoid change and it can affect our eye health. Also, do not forget to visit the ophthalmologist, at least twice a year.
8. Ventilate your contact lenses
Part of taking care of our eyes and our lenses is proper ventilation. If you stay awake for more than 10 hours and you always wear your contact lenses, try not to wear them for at least an hour. This will allow adequate ventilation and lessen the possibility of some bacteria and contaminants damaging your eyes.
9. Never spit on your contact lenses
It may sound weird, but there are many people who use their saliva to clean their contact lenses and this is a serious mistake. We must remember that our mouth is rich in bacteria that facilitate digestion and that it is not always clean (no matter how much we brush our teeth). We can only ensure that contact lenses are clean when we use cleaning solution for them.
10. Avoid wearing contact lenses when swimming
Swimming wearing contact lenses may seem like something that doesn’t cause any problems at first glance. But depending on where we swim, we can always find certain bacteria or germs that are difficult to remove from lenses. Although initially they do not cause damage to our eyes, their proliferation can have serious consequences.
