Traditional eyeglasses aren’t for everyone, and contact lenses are the perfect alternative.
They offer many advantages compared to wearing glasses, including enhancing your vision without disruption during your daily activities.
But if you’re a first-time contact lens wearer, there’s a few things you should know.
In this post, our opticians in Formby discuss some of the most important dos and don’ts of contact lenses to get you started.
Do: Keep your hands clean
Hundreds of germs live on your hands.
Unwashed hands have been shown to contaminate contact lenses – and inserting them into your eyes could cause some nasty infections.
This is why it’s so important to wash your hands before putting your contact lenses in.
Lather them in fragrance-free soap, making sure to get in between your fingers, and rinse thoroughly before drying your hands off with a clean towel.
Doing this will help kill up to 95% of bacteria and make your contact lens experience much more comfortable.
Don’t: Sleep or bathe with contacts in
Sleeping with contacts in is another way to increase the risk of infection, so you shouldn’t do this under any circumstances – even if it’s just a twenty-minute power nap.
You should also avoid getting water in your eyes while wearing your contacts – making sure to remove them before jumping in the bath or shower or going swimming – and do not rinse or store your contacts in water.
If any of these things do happen (it’s unavoidable sometimes), make sure to disinfect them thoroughly or put in a new pair of contacts altogether.
Do: Clean your lens case
Regularly cleaning your contact lens case should become a big part of your hygiene routine – especially if you want to avoid eye infections and other bacteria-related sicknesses.
To clean your lens case, pour all of the lens solution out, rub it with a clean finger, and rinse it with fresh solution.
Dry it with clean tissue and store it upside down until you’re ready to take out your contacts at the end of the day.
Don’t: Wear contacts without a prescription
If it’s your first experience with contact lenses, you shouldn’t purchase them without a prescription.
You’ll need to book an assessment with your optician so that they can determine the best lens to suit your vision requirements.
If you have an up-to-date prescription, you’ll be able to go right ahead and purchase your contact lenses without any fuss – but you shouldn’t buy just any. Stick to optician-recommended contact lenses only.
Do: See your optician regularly
Even if your eyes feel fine, it’s still important to attend regular eye tests with your optician.
Contact lens-related issues are often detected during routine examinations before any noticeable problems even come to light.
If it’s been a while since your last eye test, and your eyes have become itchy, red, or watery, take your contacts out immediately and make an appointment with your optician.
Looking for a new optician in Formby?
If you’re on the hunt for new options in the Formby area to get you started with contact lenses, look no further than the team here at Silver & Rose.
We’re here for you and have everything you need to get you started on your contact lens journey.
To find out more about the benefits of contact lenses and how to keep them in great condition, or to book an appointment with our expert Formby opticians, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.
Give us a call today on +44 1704 831117 to speak to us directly, or send us a message via our online contact form and we’ll be in touch!