Contact Lens Wearers Refresher Course

Refresher Course for Contact Lens Wearers

The most important part of being a successful contact lens wearer is understanding the few rules that ensure you have a safe, comfortable wearing experience.

All contact lens wearers should refresh their knowledge of their contact lens skills, their wearing times, and handling techniques periodically, as this will help prevent bad habits and poor handling, or cleaning schedules from creeping in and spoiling the contact lens wearing experience.

Here is our optometrists' quick refresher course for contact lens wearers.

Attend Regular Optometry Appointments

Always make sure your prescription is up to date and that you attend regular contact lens checkups, this will ensure that you have the best vision possible, that your eyes remain healthy, and that you are wearing the best type of contact lenses for your lifestyle, eye health, and comfort.

Review your Contact Lens Insertion and Removal Techniques

Once you have mastered the basics of inserting and removing your contact lenses this becomes so routine that it’s something you rarely think about. However, it is worth a quick review, particularly if you experience split or chipped lenses occasionally, or you find your lenses irritable on insertion.

• Check that you are not handling your lenses with your fingernails
• Make sure you wash and dry your hands on a clean lint-free cloth 

If you miss these steps it can cause damage to the lenses and cause irritability to the eyes, particularly on insertion.

Refresh your knowledge of the Do's and Don’ts of contact lens wear

Do’s:

Do - Wash your hands thoroughly before handling contact lenses
Do - Clean, disinfect, and replace your contact lens case regularly
Do - Clean and store your lenses after each wear with fresh contact lens solution (if using monthly or two weekly lenses)
Do - Replace lenses as per their wearing schedule, i.e. Daily, two weekly monthly, or after the stipulated extended wear period
Do - Remove your lenses if you experience discomfort, pain, or red eyes

Don’ts:

Do Not - Clean or store your lenses in tap water, or saliva
Do Not - Wear your contact lenses when bathing, showering, or whilst participating in water sports
Do Not - Wear contact lenses longer than recommended by your optometrist
Do Not - Share your contact lenses with family or friends
Do Not - Sleep in your contact lenses
Do Not -  Wear lenses if you have an eye infection, or experience pain, or discomfort
Do Not - Reuse contact lens solution, or top up old solution with fresh solution

Review Your Cleaning Routine 

If you wear two weekly or Monthly disposable contact lenses then it is a good idea to review your cleaning routine periodically to make sure you are not skipping any essential steps

• Wash your hands: thoroughly with soap and water, and dry them with a lint-free cloth.
• Remove one lens at a time: taking care so that you don’t touch the lens with your fingernails.
• Place the lens in your palm: cupping your hand slightly to form a tiny bowl.
• Apply a generous amount of solution: onto the lens so that the lens is completely submerged 
• Clean the lens gently: rub the lens with your index finger in a circular motion for approximately twenty seconds. 
• Rinse the lens: with a fresh multipurpose solution
• Store the lens: in a clean contact lens case filled with fresh multipurpose solution. 
• Repeat the process: with the other lens
• Replace the solution daily: dispose of the used solution in the case and refill it with fresh solution every single time you clean your lenses

When a Contact Lens Wearer Should Seek Help

Your contact lenses should feel comfortable throughout their wear time and your eyes should look white and healthy.
If you experience 

• Burning or itching
• Grittiness
• Eye discharge
• Red eyes
• Blurred vision 
• Eye pain

Then you should remove your contact lenses and seek advice from your optometrist - for more information on any of these check out our helpful guide on Common contact lens problems and who to contact.

To get the most out of your contact lenses and to keep your lenses clean, and your eyes healthy, it’s worth spending just a few minutes once or twice a year to refresh your knowledge and to check if any of your habits or routines need updating.
With good contact lens care and hygiene, and regular contact lens checkups with your optometrists, there’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to wear contact lenses your entire life.