INSTRUCTIONS FOR CONTACT LENS WEARERS

The following is a general guide to assist contact lens wearers. It should reinforce the information and instructions given to you by your optometrist. It is important to seek and follow individual advice from your care provider. Should you have any queries or problems, you should contact your care provider for specific advice.

Preparation

• Always wash your hands thoroughly before handling a contact lens.
  • Any germs or contaminants may be transferred to the lens causing irritation or infection.
• Don’t use soaps containing moisturizers.
  • Moisturizers cause a smearing effect on the lens making your vision blurry and may mean the lens does not wet properly.)
• If you’re handling the lens over the sink, put the plug into the drain.
  

Cleaning

• Follow the instruction for your cleaning system carefully.
• Do not use tap water, saliva or distilled water on contact lenses.
  • They may contain traces of metals or chemicals that ruin the material. Worse still, they are not sterile, and may transfer germs on to the lens, causing eye infections.
• Your overnight storage solution is a disinfection system for contacts.
  • This ensures that any germs are killed before using the lens again.
• Use the recommended cleaning solution with your lenses.
  • Not all lenses are compatible with all solutions, and you may have sensitivities or allergies to the chemicals and preservatives in some solutions.
• Your storage case should be flushed with warm water and left to air-dry about once a fortnight.
  • This ensures that germs don’t build up at the bottom of the case. Most bugs don’t survive well on dry surfaces.
• Replace your case every 3- 6 months.
  • Again this is to ensure that the system stays as ‘germ free’ as possible.

Getting used to Contacts

• It is normal to take a few days to get used to contact lenses.
• Initial feelings of slight lens awareness, increased blinking and mild headaches are normal.
• Lens awareness should settle after about 3 days. A lens that remains uncomfortable after this period should be checked.
• Build up the wearing time as scheduled - usually adding 1 to 2 hours of wear each day.

General Tips

• Apply make up after inserting the lens.
  • This keeps your make up tidy and saves the lens being contaminated with small particles of makeup.
• Close your eyes if aerosol sprays (eg hairspray) are being used
  • Droplets of spray can damage the surface of the lens.
• If you drop a lens, turn the lights off and shine a torch across the surfaces. The wet lens should glisten in the torch light. Remember to clean and check the lens before using. To find a lost lens, cover the end of your vacuum with panty hose, before vacuuming. The lens should stick to this cover. Make sure the lens is clean and undamaged before using.
• Do not use any kind of eye drops or medication without checking with your optometrist first.
  • Many drops destroy the material or surface of the lens, or build up in the lens causing a toxic ‘overdose’ reaction at a later stage.
• Eye drops that are suitable for use with contact lenses will clearly indicate ‘Suitable for soft/hard contact lenses’. If the packaging does not mention contact lenses, then it is probably not suitable- this should be checked with your optometrist.
• Avoid swimming in your lenses.
  • Lenses are likely to wash out, leading to loss. Chlorine damages the surface of the lens, making the lens less comfortable and vision less clear. Worse still, you are far more likely to get severe infections that may lead to blindness or loss of the eye.
  • If you have to swim in your lenses- wear goggles, and make sure you take your lenses out soon after and disinfect thoroughly.
• Showering in contacts is OK- just close your eyes if you are putting your face into the water.
  
• Don’t wear your lenses if you are unwell, or if your eyes are red, irritable or sore.
  Your eyes don’t need further aggravation, and you risk ruining your lens if the eye is infected.
  Because small tubes connect all the eyes, ears, nose and throat, germs (eg with a cold or the flu) spread quickly and easily.
  
• Don’t sleep in your contact lenses- unless they are specifically for overnight use.
  • Oxygen levels to the eye drop at night with a contact in. In the short term, this will kill the cells in the top layer of the eye. This layer may be ‘ripped off’ when you next take the lens out. It is a little like gravel- rash to the front of the eye. While it is uncomfortable, the big problem is that you are at high risk of picking up eye infections for the next 48- 72 hours, until the eye heals itself.
  • Long term, or regular sleeping in a lens not designed for this purpose, will lead to the growth of additional blood vessels (for extra oxygen) at the front of the eye. These can look ugly, cause serious sight complications and increase the risk of serious infections.
• If you wear contacts 7 days a week, then take them out about 1 hour before bedtime.
  • This lets the surface of the eye recover from any small problems that may have happened through the day.
• Replace your contact lenses as scheduled.
  • Protein builds up on the lens which may mean that wearing contact lenses is no longer possible, and a return to full time spectacle wear will be advised.

Insertion

• Wash your hands.
• Ensure the lens is not inside out.
  • The edge of the lens will make a ‘bowl’ shape when the lens is correct.
  • The edges flair outwards if the lens is inside out.
  • If the lens is inside out upon insertion, it will tend to be uncomfortable, will move excessively and may cause poor vision.
• Examine the lens to ensure it is clean, free of dust and other particles, and undamaged.
• Be consistent – start with the same lens each time.
• Place the lens on the tip of your index finger
• Use the forefinger of the other hand to pull the top eyelid up, so that it is out of the way. This will also help to stop blinking.
• Place the lens on the eye.
• Look down and slowly let the lower lid go.
• Release the top lid.

Troubleshooting

• If the lens sticks to the finger - your finger may be too wet.
• If the lens falls off the finger - your finger is too dry.
• If the lens keeps bending inside out and wrapping around your finger, you are probably blinking and knocking the lens with your lids. Hold both eyelids more firmly.
• If the lens falls out when you release the lids, you probably have an air-bubble under the lens. You may need to push the lens on to the eye more firmly. Make sure you release the bottom lid before the top one.
• If the lens is uncomfortable, it can be dragged on to the white of the eye and moved around gently. If this does not settle the lens, it should be removed, rinsed and checked before re-insertion.

Centering the lens

• The lens will naturally locate to the centre of the eye. This process can be assisted by:
  • Blinking a few times.
  • Looking in the direction of the lens.
  • Closing the lid and gently massaging the lens through the closed lid.
• Manipulating the lens into place by gently pushing it across the eye with a clean finger.
• Should the lens get stuck under the top lid, it is best to try to relocate it by rubbing downwards through a closed lid. This may be more effective if lubricating drops are used first.

Removing the lens

• Ensure that the lens is correctly in place.
• Gently place your finger on the edge of the lens, and then look up, pulling the lens down onto the white of the eye.
• Pinch the lens firmly between thumb and forefinger, and remove the lens
• Ensure that fingernails are not scraped across the eye, or pressed into the lens
  • Fingernails may tear the lens or scratch the eye

Remember: Should you have any unusual symptoms, or changes to your eyes or vision while wearing contact lenses, you need to contact your optometrist.