Contact Lens Care and Eye Health

1.  The first and most important step in contact lens care involves washing your hands thoroughly with soap and water.  The best soaps to use are those without oils or lotions, and they are usually scent free.  After your hands are clean and dry, be cognizant of anything you touch that may contiminatte your clean hands.

2.  After removing your contact lens place it in the palm of your hand (concave side up), place a few drops of Multi-purpose solution on the lens and gently rub the lens in a back and forth motion for approximately 5 seconds.  Circular rubbing can more easily cause tearing of the lens, becaquse of how the lenses are fabricated.  Removing the lens debris by rubbing is recommended even with solutions that state they are "no-rub".  (Hydrogen peroxide care systems have their own set of unique rules).

3.  Always empty the old solution and add fresh solution to your contact lens case before storing your lenses.  Avoid using saline to store your lenses, as it does not have disinfection capabilities.  Saline can safely be used to rinse your lenses (never water).

4.  Cover your lenses completely with the solution, and allow them to sit for at least 4-6 hours in order to maximize the disinfection process. 

5.  Use the solutions recommended by your doctor.  Generics most often have different ingredients and preservatives that can cause eye discomfort.

6.  Between uses, your contact lens case should be thoroughly rinsed and air dried.  Cases should be changed out everytime you purchase new solutions.