What is the Best Way to Clean Contact Lenses?
November 28th, 2023
If you wear contact lenses, taking care of them is essential. Improper cleaning and storage can put you at increased risk for eye infections.
Using appropriate cleaning and storage techniques will keep your lenses clean and comfortable while keeping your eyes healthy. Keep reading to learn the best ways to keep your contact lenses clean!
Caring for Different Types of Contact Lenses
If you have contacts that are meant to be worn more than once, you should clean and disinfect them after every time you wear them. Your eye doctor can help you choose the best cleaning and storage solutions for your contacts.
Reusable Contact Lenses
Remove one contact and hold it carefully in the palm of your hand. Add a few drops of your contact lens disinfecting solution to the lens.
Using the tip of a finger, gently rub the lens back and forth on your palm to clean it. Use this method even if you’re using a “no rub” cleaning solution.
Rinse the lens with more of the cleaning solution after cleaning it, then place it in your case with enough solution to submerge the lens. Repeat this with your other lens.
Daily Contact Lenses
If you wear daily contact lenses, you should keep a case and appropriate solution for rinsing contacts on hand. They may come in handy if you need to take your contacts out for short periods of time, such as if you go swimming.
However, you should throw away daily lenses after a day of wear. Daily contacts are less durable than reusable contacts, and they are not as resistant to contamination.
Hard or Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP) Contact Lenses
If you use hard contact lenses or rigid gas permeable lenses, you will need to use a cleaning and disinfecting system designed for that lens type. Hard and RGP contact lenses often require specific solutions for wetting, cleaning, and disinfecting.
Solutions for soft contact lenses are not appropriate for hard or RGP lenses.
Wash Your Hands
Any time you will be handling your contacts, you should wash your hands with soap and warm water. This removes most of the germs on your hands and ensures that you don’t transfer dirt or debris from your hands to your contact lenses or eyes.
Clean Your Contact Lens Case
After you put your contacts in your eyes, clean the storage case. Empty out the used solution every time.
Rinse the case with fresh solution and let it air dry. Don’t rinse it with tap water or soap.
Replace your contact lens case regularly, at least every three months.
Always Use a Proper Contact Lens Solution
Make sure you are using proper solutions for cleaning, rinsing, and storage. Your eye doctor can suggest a brand and type of solution that will work best with your contacts.
Always choose rewetting drops that are labeled for use with contact lenses. If you use over-the-counter eye drops for allergies, wait fifteen minutes after using the drops before putting in your contacts.
Never use saliva to wet your lenses, as saliva contains bacteria that could harm your eyes. Do not use water for wetting or storing lenses, either.
Water can cause contacts to swell, change shape, or stick to the eyes.
Do you have more questions on how to properly take care of your contact lenses? Schedule an appointment at Laser Eye Center in Huntsville, AL, today!
