Using contact lenses: the most important information and advice

Using contact lenses: the most important information and advice

There are people who wear medical contact lenses as an alternative to medical glasses, and there are those who use contact lenses for purely cosmetic purposes. What do you need to know about contact lenses?

Wearing contact lenses may increase the risk of eye infections . Failure to follow the instructions results in this risk to a large extent. The College of Ophthalmology offers these tips on how to use contact lenses safely:

1- Follow the instructions

There are two main types of contact lenses, hard contact lenses and soft contact lenses. Instructions for using and caring for your lenses vary according to their type, and it is important to follow your doctor's instructions.

If you are using contact lenses for the first time, have them fitted by an ophthalmologist, who is a qualified eye specialist or physician.

2- Care of reusable contact lenses

When using permanent contact lenses rather than disposable ones and then discarding them, the following guidelines should apply:

After removing your contact lenses, it is essential that you disinfect them, as this prevents harmful organisms from remaining on the lens.
Your doctor will advise you about the best contact lenses for you and how to care for them. This may include additional cleaning procedures, such as scrubbing or rinsing.

These are the most important sterilization and disinfection guidelines:

To disinfect your lenses, soak them in the solution for a set amount of time.
Do not use this solution again for sterilization. It should be discarded and replaced with fresh solution each time the lenses are soaked.
Use only the care products recommended by your doctor, and follow directions carefully.
Be aware that wearing poorly made contact lenses is the main source of infection in the eyes.

To avoid infection, you should do the following:

Rinse the lens soaking container that is for your personal use only, allow the lens to dry after daily use, and replace it monthly.
Clean the container in which you soak the lenses every week, using a clean toothbrush .

3- Take care of disposable lenses

Disposable lenses do not need to be cleaned or disinfected because you only wear them once, and then you throw them away.

Do not use these lenses again, as they are not suitable for repeated use. Even if you only wear disposable lenses, it's still important that you have regular check-ups with your doctor.

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4- Take care of lenses that are worn for long periods

These lenses are specifically designed to be worn overnight, and can be worn continuously for up to a month before they need to be discarded.

Do not sleep wearing these lenses unless your doctor advises them to. They also advise you on how to look after your lenses if you need to have them removed temporarily.

You may need more follow-up examinations if you wear this type of lens.

5- Taking care of all types of contact lenses

You should always take care of the following:

Wash, rinse and dry your hands thoroughly before handling your lenses.
Replace the lenses at intervals determined by your doctor.
Have regular check-ups with your doctor.
Seek professional advice if you are having problems with your contact lenses.

6- How to maintain the safety of the eyes in general

You should always ask yourself these three important questions when wearing your lenses:

Do my eyes look good?
Do my eyes feel good?
can i see well ?

If you cannot answer "yes" to all of these questions, or you have any other doubts about your contact lenses, remove them immediately and speak to your doctor. Remember the following:

Do not go to bed with a red and sore eye - seek advice immediately.
Do not bring your lenses into tap water.
Do not wet your lenses with saliva.
Do not wear your lenses while showering or going swimming (unless you are using goggles).