Maintaining contact lenses

Dr Yoloye Mosekunola , Chief Consultant Ophthalmologist at the Asokoro General Hospital, Abuja says “contact lenses are the lens you fit directly on the corneal. It is used to correct refractive errors. But in recent times there is what is called cosmetic contact lenses. May be you want your eyes to look blue or brown […]

Dr Yoloye Mosekunola , Chief Consultant Ophthalmologist at the Asokoro General Hospital, Abuja says “contact lenses are the lens you fit directly on the corneal. It is used to correct refractive errors. But in recent times there is what is called cosmetic contact lenses. May be you want your eyes to look blue or brown or any colour you choose. It could have its own problem. You know something that is a foreign body which you put in the eye, sometimes infection can set in or you can injure yourself. It needs to be kept clean all the time. So there are solutions you need to buy to keep the lens clean. Once the lens is infected, you start having problems.” Dr Mosekunola explains.

A good quality contact lens solution is as necessary as a clean and dry lens case. Follow the instructions included with your cleaning solution, and ensure your lenses are removed and cleaned every time you use them to prevent bacterial growth.

Nowadays, there are many products available in the market which helps you to clean your contact lenses. The multipurpose solution is used for disinfecting, washing, cleaning and storing the lenses. These solutions can remove bacteria and fungi effectively.

Apart from these solutions, there are some precautions you need to take and some steps you need to follow for cleaning your lenses.

Your hands must be clean before you touch your contact lenses or your eyes. A speck of soap, lotion or any chemical in your hand might cause pain, irritation or may result in blurred vision. As the contact lenses are very delicate objects, you must follow the doctor’s prescription to wear, remove or clean your lenses.

Usually, your doctor would suggest that you clean and store your lens in a case filled with fresh solution. You must clean the contact lens case after each use with sterile solution or hot water and leave it to dry.

One thing which you must keep in mind while cleaning your lenses is that you must never use plain water directly on them as they might cause damage due to infection. To clean your lenses you can rub them gently with your index finger or rinse with the “No Rub” solutions available in the market nowadays.

If you develop an eye infection, ophthalmologists say signs to watch out for include redness, burning, or excessively tear hence you should remove your contact lenses and discontinue use until you talk with your eye specialist. Wearing a contaminated pair of contact lenses will invite the infection to remain. After resuming contact lens use, closely follow your doctor’s instructions to help prevent future eye infections.

Do not sleep with your contact lenses in your eyes unless you are prescribed “Extended Wear” contacts! While the eyes are shut, tears cannot carry healthy amounts of oxygen to the eye, like during the waking hours. As a result, your contact lenses will become dry and stick to your eyes. If you accidentally do fall asleep with your contact lenses in, be sure to put eye drops in your eyes and wait a few minutes before trying to remove your contact lenses, health experts say.

You need to strictly follow the cleaning process as prescribed by your eye doctor, or you might face problem with your eye later. Your eyes form an integral part of your body. To enjoy them for long, you need to keep your contact lenses clean and infection free.