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Contact Lens Care and Wear Tips

The information below is intended as a supplement to the training and instruction you receive as part of a contact lens fitting program.


How to Insert Your Contact Lenses

 

Getting Ready

 

  • Wash your hands with a mild soap, rinse completely and dry with a lint-free towel. A wet finger may cause a soft lens to flatten. Avoid using fingernails to handle your lenses.

  • If you're working near a sink, close the drain.

  • Get in the habit of always working with the same (right or left) lens first to avoid mix-ups.

  • Pour the lens and storage fluid from the case into your palm.

  • Inspect the lens for particles, deposits or tears.

  • Place the lens, cup side up, on your dry forefinger. Determine if the lens is right side out. 

    • If it is right side out, the lens' edge will appear almost straight up. If inside out, the edges will flare out slightly. 

  • Another test is to place the lens on a crack in the palm of your hand and then cup the hand slightly. This will flex the lens. If the edge of the lens curls inwards, it is the correct way out; if the edge curls outwards and wraps onto the palm of the hand, it is inside out. If it is inside out, reverse it.

To Insert Your Contact Lenses

 

  • Hold the upper lashes (or lids) to prevent blinking.

  • Pull the bottom eyelid down using your middle finger.

  • Look up so the white part of your eye shows.

  • Place the lens onto the exposed white part of your eye.

  • Or, instead of looking up, look straight ahead at the lens and gently place it in the center of your eye.

  • Remove your finger and let go of the lids, bottom lid first, and then top.

  • Look downward to help position the lens, then close your eyes momentarily.

  • Apply one or two drops of lens lubricant (eye drops) if your lenses feel dry or if blurry vision occurs during wear.

  • Follow the same steps to insert the other lens.


How to Remove Your Contact Lenses

 

  • Wash and dry your hands and close any nearby drains.

  • With your head straight, look upwards as far as you can.

  • Place your middle finger on the lower eyelid of your right eye and pull the eyelid down, then touch the lower edge of the lens with the tip of your index finger.

  • While still looking up, slide the lens down to the white part of the eye with your index finger.

  • Still looking up and holding the lens under the index finger, move your thumb so that you can compress the lens lightly between the thumb and the index finger. Then gently remove the "folded up" lens from the eye.

  • If you have difficulty removing the lens, place a few comfort drops in the eye, wait moments and try again.

  • Remove the left lens following the same procedure.

 

Follow Professional advice

 

  • Wear your contacts only for the length of time recommended, even if they feel comfortable.

  • Remove, clean and disinfect your lenses at the intervals prescribed.

  • Have regular check-ups.

  • Don't sleep or nap while wearing your contacts unless specifically indicated

  • Don't use any eye medications without consulting the doctor


Make Cleanliness a Habit

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  • Before touching your lenses, wash your hands thoroughly with a mild soap, rinse completely and dry with a lint-free towel.

  • Apply eye cosmetics after you insert your lenses. Remove cosmetics after you remove your lenses. Water-based cosmetics are less likely to damage lenses than oil-based products.

  • Avoid excessive handling of your lenses.

  • Protect your solutions from contamination: Close bottles tightly and never touch the dispensing spouts to any surface.

  • Never re-use solutions.

  • Ensure that tap water never comes into contact with soft lenses.

  • Do not get lotions, creams or sprays in your eyes or on your lenses.

  • Avoid wearing lenses in the presence of chemicals, unusual air pollution, intense heat (hair dryer) or when swimming.

  • Throw away disposable and frequent or planned replacement lenses after the recommended wearing period.

  • Don't use expired products.

  • Never skip steps in lens care. Cleaning is not enough.

For more information, click here to view Alcon Contact Lens Insert and Removing Videos.

 

Contact Lens Solutions

When you are fitted for contact lenses a particular lens care system is recommended -- a group of products to clean, disinfect and make your lenses safe and comfortable for wear.


Since different systems use different types of chemicals, it is not advisable to mix or substitute solutions from other systems. Doing so could lead to discolored lenses, eye discomfort or eye injury. In particular, rigid lens solutions should not be used to clean or disinfect soft lenses as the chemicals can damage the soft lens material.


Soft Contact Lens Care Systems
Regardless of how they are packaged, most lens care systems include products that perform six different functions. Some systems combine two or more functions into one product while others keep them separate. The functions required are dependent upon the type of lens regimen and your eyes and will be discussed with you as part of a contact lens training program.


The different functions performed by soft lens care systems are:

 

  • Daily Cleaning to remove debris accumulated and adhering loosely to the lens. This debris, if not removed, can eventually make the lenses uncomfortable, interfere with vision and reduce the ability of the disinfecting solution to kill potentially harmful microorganisms. In addition, the cleaning solutions perform the first step in the disinfection process.
  • Disinfecting to kill growing forms of microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, and viruses) on the lenses.
  • Rinsing and Storing requires the use of an ophthalmic isotonic saline solution or may be performed with some types of disinfectant solution. Most saline solutions are not suitable for storage of lenses, as they do not contain anything to kill or prevent the growth of microorganisms.
  • Comfort or Lubricating Drops are used to provide refreshment for dry eyes, in conditions of low humidity or for added comfort near the end of the wearing day.
  • Protein Removal removes stubborn protein deposits and, with daily cleaning and disinfection, helps restore a clean, fresh contact lens surface. Protein removal is generally not required for planned replacement lenses, which are replaced before the deposits can cause difficulties.
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