Getting the Most Out of Contact Lenses

Contact lenses do not come cheap. It can be easy to mishandle them and let them go to waste. Here are some tips from my optometrist and myself on how to get the most out of your lenses.

1. After each use, rinse your contact lens case with fresh solution, not water, then air dry. Keep the case clean and replace it at least every three months. Lens cases can be a source of contamination and infection.
   

2. Before handling contacts from the case or removing from eyes, wash your hands with soap and water, rinse and dry with a lint-free towel.
   

3. When removing contacts from eyes to put back into the case, make sure the contacts are not inside out (you can tell if they make a saucer-lipped shape). Putting them on in a rush and realizing they're inside out is no fun, and may cause stress to the eye.
   

4. Do not re-use old solution or "top off" the solution in your lens case.
   

5. Use a solution like Clear Care weekly. It uses bubbling power of hydrogen peroxide to fully refresh your lenses by removing lens deposition and debris.
   

6. Use contact-friendly lubricating eye drops. Even if you don't feel your eyes are dry, having a foreign object like a contact lens on it can irritate you. They also help remove debris that may cause some discomfort.
   

7. Set alarms or mark calendars for expiration dates of your open lenses. I wear monthlies so I set my iPhone to beep on the 30th day for lens disposal.