Contact Lens Do's and Dont's

PATIENT INSTRUCTIONS: CONTACT LENS DO'S AND DON'TS

You should remove your contact lenses immediately and check with your eye doctor if any of the following should occur at any time: your vision blurs and does not clear immediately upon blinking or applying lubricating drops, you develop any pain in or about the eye, your eye becomes red, you develop discharge or excessive tearing, or you note unusual light sensitivity.

DO:

1.       Follow your doctor's instructions and call the office if you have any questions.

2.       Report for regularly scheduled follow up care. Follow up care is of optimum importance and it is the patient's responsibility to schedule and keep appointments.

3.       Follow your wearing time schedule as prescribed by your doctor.

4.       Always thoroughly wash, rinse and dry hands with perfume free/deodorant free soap before handling lenses.

5.        Clean your lenses after wear and before storage to avoid build up of tough protein deposits and oily films that are difficult to remove.

6.       Be thorough, but careful, while cleaning a lens; they can tear, chip or crack.

7.       Use fresh solution in the storage case each night. Be sure lenses are completely covered with solution when storing in the case.

8.       Rinse the storage case wells out with warm tap water then with saline after each use and let air dry with the covers off.

9.       Sit or stand close to a sink or table while inserting a lens. That way, it cannot go far or land on the floor if it is dropped.

10.     Re-clean lenses that have dropped on the floor or on your clothes.

11.      Always close drain when working near sink. A dark face cloth or towel may also be used to cover the drain.

12.      Wear eye protection now that you wear contact lenses. Racket sports, hockey, etc. demand safety eyewear to avoid serious trauma to the eye.

13.      Avoid contact with sprays or aerosols (hair sprays, deodorants, spray paint, oven cleaner, etc.)

14.      Apply hairspray, deodorant or spray cologne before lens insertion or keep your eyes tightly closed until the spray has settled. A sprayed lens is very uncomfortable and hard to clean.

15.     Avoid harmful vapors and fumes especially in work areas while wearing lenses. Wear safety glasses: work under a hood. Inform your employer that you wear contact lenses so that they can recommend safety eyewear if necessary.

16.      Avoid dusty environments; wear eye protection.

17.      Use caution when adjusting to temperature extremes such as oven, fireplace, freezer or sub-zero weather.

18.      While inserting the lenses, some patients find it easier to hold back the eye lashes, not just the skin folds above and below the lashes.

19.      Keep a storage case and a small bottle of lubricant or saline with you at all times for emergency use.

20.      Apply all cosmetics after inserting contact lenses, including lotions and foundation as well as eye cosmetics such as mascara and eyeshadow.

Don't use your contact lens if your eyes are irritated, red, painful, tearing excessively, producing any discharge, or your vision is fluctuating. Check with your eye doctor to see whether any eye disorder requires treatment prior to the resumption of contact lens wear.

DON'T:

1.        Don't wear the lenses if they have suddenly or consistently become uncomfortable.

2.        Don't wear your lens if you notice a chip or tear in the lens.

3.        Don't exceed your wearing schedule by over wearing lenses during the adjustment period.

4.        Don't wear your lenses for a maximum of hours if they have not been worn for a few days.

5.        Don't handle your lenses roughly.  Avoid contact with fingernails (the #1 cause of lens damage).

6.        Don't insert your lenses over a sink with an open drain. A dropped lens looks just like a water bubble.

7.        Don't move around if a lens is dropped. Check your lashes, clothes, shoes and immediate area around you before moving. A wet lens can stick to almost anything. If you step down, you can smash or damage the lens.

8.        Don't pick up a dropped lens with your fingernail or push it along a rough surface to lift it. Dampen your finger so the lens can stick to it.

9.        Don't use any other solutions than those your doctor prescribed. Don't switch or mix brands of solutions without your doctor's knowledge and approval.

10.      Don't start using different brands of solutions simultaneously. Introduce them one at a time so if there is a problem, you can identify the cause.

11.      Don't touch solution bottle tips to lenses or case. It can contaminate a sterile bottle of solution.

12.      Don't try to wear a soft lens that was left out of solution and has become brittle or if it has taken a long time to locate a dropped lens. Put the lens in saline for at least two hours, then clean it well before wearing.

13.      Don't wet lenses by putting them in your mouth.

14.      Don't use tap water on soft lenses; use only saline or disinfecting solutions for rinsing.

15.      Don't overfill the storage case. An overfilled well can cause the lens to float up to the container edge and be chipped or cut when the lid is snapped or screwed down.

16.      Don't put eye drops such as Murine or Visine in your eyes while you are wearing contact lenses.

17.      Don't force apart a soft lens that folded over onto itself. Put the lens in the palm of your hand and soak it with saline or disinfecting solution until it works itself out with gentle massage.

18.      Don't rub the lenses with towel, tissue, or shirt tail. The lens may be scratched.

19.      Don't swim or shower while wearing your lenses. Any water (i.e. rain or tears) may flush lenses out of your eyes.

20.      Don't wear your lenses if you have a cold or the flu.  The infection can be easily spread to your eyes.

21.      Don't leave your lenses in "hot spots", (i.e. TV tops, glove compartments, window sills, hot sand, etc.), they can warp or melt.

22.      Don't sleep in your lenses without your doctor's approval.

23.      Don't ride in open cars without eye protection. The wind can dry your eyes and lenses.

24.      Don't use perfumed deodorant or cold cream soaps before handling your lenses. They can leave a greasy residue on your hands and lenses.

25.      Don't use waterproof mascara; it is difficult to remove without cleaners that are abrasive to a lens.

26.      Don't use eyelash thickeners or lengtheners. They contain fibers and additives that can contaminate lenses.

27.      Don't apply eyeliner above the lower lash line. You will block glands that produce the tear film making lens wear more comfortable.