The American Academy of Ophthalmology urges contact lens users to care for their contacts. There are available contact lenses for specific vision problems. Each custom-fit set of lenses will need proper care. This will enable you to maximize their benefits. Here is a beginner’s guide to caring for your contact lenses. 

Rub Your Contact Lenses When You Take Them Out

This is necessary if you have soft contacts and use a multipurpose solution for them. Rubbing your contact lens for two to 20 seconds removes microorganisms and deposits. It also reduces complications. After rubbing, remove your contacts and rinse with your solution as recommended by the manufacturer. 

Studies show that rubbing and then rinsing your contacts after wearing them results in safer lens wear. Some contact lens solutions have hydrogen peroxide that needs you to rinse the contacts first before soaking them overnight. For gas-permeable lenses, rubbing is necessary before rinsing. Read the manufacturer’s instructions before using the contact lens solution. You can also get in touch with your doctor about it. 

Do Not Use Cleaning Solutions After They Expire

You must never use lens cleaning solutions after they expire. Check the label first before buying a bottle. The US FDA recommends placing a discard date along with the expiration date. This can help you determine when it is ideal to throw away your bottle of solution. If your cleaning solution is preservative-free, discard it after 24 hours after you open it. Saline in aerosol packaging has longer expiration and discard dates. 

Store Your Lenses the Right Way

Contact lens care solutions are different from one another. You must note how long you can store your contacts in the solution before replacing them. Some solutions are good for about a month. Other products can only stay safe for a day.

A contact lens case that closes tightly will allow cleaning solutions to last up to a month. Make sure that you inspect and disinfect your contact lenses again before wearing them. Read the manufacturer’s storage times. Doing so will prevent you from using expired contact lens solutions. 

Always clean your contact lens case. Use your sterile contact lens solution to rinse it. Do not use tap water. Open and invert the case on a clean cloth or paper towel to dry. Replace your lens case every three months or so. You must replace it right away if it is damaged. 

Follow Your Eye Doctor’s Instructions

Working with your eye doctor is necessary for caring for your contact lenses. These vision treatments are custom-fit and more expensive than eyeglasses. That is why you must follow the specific instructions of your eye doctor when it comes to proper lens care. Here are some of them:

• Do not swim, shower, or use the bathtub with your contact lenses on

• See your eye doctor for regular eye checks

• Do not keep your disposable lenses on while sleeping

• Follow the schedule for replacing and wearing your lenses

• Always follow the package instructions for your lens cleaning solution

Caring for your contact lenses properly can help maintain their effectiveness in correcting your vision. At Eye Carumba Optometry, we help our patients improve their vision and eye health. Please visit our facility in San Francisco, California, for an in-person consultation. Call 415-360-6900 to set an appointment or ask about our different contact lens packages.