Cleaning and using your contact lenses properly will help keep your eyes healthy and free from infections.
Wash, rinse and dry your hands thoroughly before touching your lenses
Only wear your contacts for the recommended time
Always have an up-to-date pair of glasses for when you take your lenses out
Have regular contact lens check-ups, even if everything seems OK
Get advice straight away if you’re having any problems with your contact lenses, such as sore, red or swollen eyes
Wear any contact lenses, including novelty lenses, that haven’t been properly fitted to your eyes
Put water or saliva on your lenses or in your eye when you’re wearing them
Pick up a dropped lens and put it straight back into your eye without cleaning it thoroughly
Carry on wearing your lenses if they don’t look good, feel good or your vision is blurry
Use a lens if it looks damaged
Sleep in your lenses unless your contact lens practitioner says it’s OK to do this
Wear your lenses while swimming or playing water sports
Wear your lenses in the shower or hot tub
Wear someone else’s contact lenses or share your lenses with anyone
Reuse a daily disposable lens
Use eyedrops while wearing your lenses unless your contact lens practitioner or ophthalmologist says it’s safe to do this
There are two types of reusable lenses: soft and hard.
Soft reusable lenses – these can be reused daily for a set period of time
Hard reusable lenses – also known as rigid gas permeable (RGP) lenses, these can be reused every day for up to a year
Soft and hard reusable lenses both have to be disinfected with contact lens solution every day to prevent infections. Your contact lens prescriber will tell you how to do this.
To look after your reusable lenses safely:
Clean your lenses after you take them out by rubbing them with your contact lens solution
Rinse your lenses with contact lens solution after cleaning them
Leave them in the disinfecting solution overnight
Never reuse disinfecting solution or top it up – throw it away and use fresh solution every time
Only use the solution recommended by your contact lens practitioner, and follow the instructions carefully
Follow your practitioner’s instructions for cleaning your storage case (do NOT use tap water)
Replace your lens case at least once a month
Never decant your solution into smaller travel-size bottles
Improper use of contact lenses can be detrimental to your health. If the warnings above are not adhered to then serious complications could follow.
Examples of such conditions are;
Microbial Keratitis (an infection to the cornea caused by bacteria)
Acanthamoeba Keratitis (A rare but serious infection caused by the Acanthamoeba Amoeba)
Corneal Ulcer (can be caused by infection and improper contact lens wear)
Corneal Abrasion (can be caused by improper contact lens wear, such as sleeping in your lenses)
This is not an exhaustive list but stands to outline some of the main (serious) complications.
If in doubt, take your lenses out and go to your prescriber or local eye casualty department.
Get advice straight away if you have:
Blurred vision
Painful, red or swollen eyes
A white or yellow spot over the coloured part of your eye
If you have any questions regarding the advice above, please don’t hesitate to contact us and we’ll do our best to assist you.
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Cantor Barnard Ltd | Market Place | Brackley | Northants | NN13 7NN | UK
Below are types of lenses offered by Cantor Barnard and the clinical indications in which they can be used for:
