Caring for Your Contacts
It’s Torga’s 20 Truths for Caring for Your Contacts
Date: Wed, 9 May 2018
You only have one pair of eyes! So, if you’re a contact lens wearer, cast your eyes over these tips to preserve yours as well as to care for your contacts:
1. Always wash and dry your hands before handling your contact lenses.
2. Never use tap water, any other water or saliva on your contact lenses or lens case.
3. Never put a contact lens in your eye if it has fallen on the floor or other surface without cleaning it first.
4. After removing your contact lenses, clean them, rub and rinse off the debris and store the lenses in fresh solution for disinfection.
5. Place the contact lens in the palm of your hand and squirt a few drops of solution into you hand. Gently rub the lens with your finger in a circular motion. Rinse both sides of each lens with fresh solution to remove any debris.
6. Fill your case with fresh solution and place the lens in the solution. Ensure that the lens case is firmly closed. Soak lenses in solution overnight before inserting the next day.
7. Daily-wear contact lenses must be disposed of after each use (each day).
8. Always wear your lenses as advised by your optometrist and dispose of them if they are past the expiry date.
9. Never re-use or top up your solution – discard and replace it with fresh solution each time you store your contact lenses.
10. Always use the new case you receive with your new bottle of solution in order for it to remain hygienic and disinfected. Dispose of the old case.
11. Never switch your solution unless advised by your optometrist.
12. Insert your contact lenses before applying any cream or make-up and remove your lenses before you remove your make-up or wash your face.
13. Never sleep with your contact lenses in your eyes, unless specifically advised to do so by your optometrist.
14. Never use your contact lenses while swimming, in hot tubs, showering or water sports – unless you are wearing water-tight goggles or keep your eyes firmly closed.
15. Never over-wear your contact lenses – this can lead to infections and long-term damage to your eyes.
16. Never use eyedrops with your contact lenses without the advice of your optometrist.
17. Always keep an up-to-date pair of spectacles handy for when you remove your contact lenses.
18. Should your eyes become irritated, red or if you are feeling ill, remove your contact lenses immediately. Seek professional advice as soon as possible.
19. If wearing two-weekly or monthly contact lenses, these should be cleaned each time you remove the lenses from your eyes.
20. Remember to have your eyes tested annually in order to ensure the health of your eyes and keep your prescription up-to-date. This is advised by the Health Profession Council of South Africa.
