When you want to improve your vision, contact lenses are some of the most important medical devices you can wear. These devices are not only good for your health, but they also offer unrivaled comfort.

As great and useful as contact lenses can be, you need to be careful of how you use them. If you are a contact-lens wearer, read on to learn some pro tips.

Clean and dry your hands before touching your lenses

Whenever you want to put your contact lenses into your eyes, it is important to clean and dry your hands prior to touching your lenses. Avoid heavily scented or oily soaps that can leave some residues on the lenses. Additionally, the residue of lotion and moisturizers can stick to the lenses, so don’t use them until your lenses have been properly positioned in your eyes. All these rules also apply whenever you want to remove the contact lenses from your eyes.

Follow the cleaning procedures for your lenses

After getting contact lenses, your optometrist will explain how you should clean them. In some cases, you may need to place the lenses inside a solution whenever you are not using them. There may be some additional things you have to do to keep your lenses clean.

Notably, the type of contact lenses you are using will determine the cleaning instructions. Don’t change the cleaning procedures unless your doctor has instructed you to do so.

Don’t sleep with your contact lenses in

Some individuals are fond of the bad habit of sleeping with their contact lenses. Unfortunately, such a habit can cause lots of harm to your eyes. This is because sleeping with your contact lenses can lower the amount of oxygen going to your eyes. As a result of this, the surface of your eyes can be easily infected. In addition, sleeping with lenses can send harmful microorganisms on your lenses into your cornea. This is why you should always remove your lenses before going to sleep.

Follow the replacement and prescribed wearing schedule

Sometimes, to save money, you may want to continue using the same lenses for an extended period. However, this can hurt your eyes. So, it is important to adhere to the replacement schedule from your optometrist.

Don’t shower or swim with contact lenses

Showering or swimming exposes you to acanthamoeba, which is a microbe found in swimming pools, tap water, rivers, lakes, etc. Various studies have established that this microorganism is responsible for potential eye infections. If you swim or take a shower with your contact lenses in, this microorganism can stick to the lenses and enter your eyes. If you want to avoid potential eye infections, you should never shower or swim with contact lenses in your eyes.

Remove your lenses if they are disturbing you

Are you experiencing any irritation after wearing your contact lenses? If yes, then you shouldn’t hesitate to remove them. The irritation could be due to you having an infection and you may require urgent medical attention. It can also mean that there is some dirt or dust between your eye and lense that is causing an irritation or that your lens is torn or damaged.

After you get new contact lenses you should feel comfortable contacting your optometrist with any questions or concerns. Your optometrist will be able to answer your questions and provide reliable solutions for your concerns.