Soft Contact Lens Care

It’s not a surprise that 90% of contact lens users today wear soft contact lenses due to its superior comfort and convenience compared to conventional rigid/hard contact lenses. I have been a soft contact lens wearer since I was just 10 years old and primarily wear contacts instead of glasses. I love fitting my patients of all ages in contact lenses; however, I always have the conversation on the importance of following proper contact lens care instructions to avoid serious eye infections. If followed properly, the risk of infection is very low.

It is so important to develop a good habit on cleaning reusable soft contact lenses and replacing contact lenses as directed. The most common reusable contact lenses are the biweekly and monthly contacts. A lot of our patients have made the switch to daily disposable contact lenses due to the convenience of not having to clean them nightly, but even with daily disposables, there are important instructions to avoid eye infections. Whether you are new to soft contact lenses or have been wearing it for most of your life like me, take a minute to review these proper contact lens care and hygiene instructions.

Always wash your hands before you touch your eyes and your contact lenses! Make sure your hands are clean of lotions, soaps, towel fibers, etc. before you handle your lenses.
Before putting contact lenses in your eye, make sure there is no tear in the lens, eyelashes, small fibers, etc. that may irritate your eye.
Never use tap water to rinse or soak your contact lenses. Bacteria and microorganisms in tap water can lead to serious eye infections.
Replace or discard your contact lenses as recommended by your doctor.
- Daily disposable contact lenses should only be worn for one day before discarding.
- Bi-weekly or monthly replacement contact lenses can be reworn, but should be cleaned nightly and stored in a case with solution. Lenses should be replaced after 2 or 4 weeks depending on the type of contact lens.
  - For example: if you use a monthly replacement contact lens, but only wear it on the weekends, you still need to replace it after 4 weeks

Avoid swimming and showering while wearing lenses to avoid bacterial infections.
- If you must wear contacts to swim, you may minimize your risk by wearing airtight goggles to avoid getting water in your eyes and trapping potential unwanted bacteria on your contact lenses. If you do accidentally get water on your contacts, make sure you dispose of them afterwards. Some people like to have an option of daily disposable contact lenses for this reason.

Avoid sleeping in your contact lenses.
- This is true for all daily disposable contact lenses! Never sleep with them in overnight. Sleeping in contact lenses increases your risk for infection, deprives your eyes of oxygen overnight, and may become dry and stick to your eyes.
- We know there are some 2-week and monthly replacement contact lenses that are approved for overnight wear, however our doctors at Arbor Eyecare still advise against sleeping in contact lenses if possible.

Those wearing eye make-up: Be sure to put in your contact lens before applying makeup and remove your contact lenses before removing makeup.
If you are experiencing eye dryness, it is safe to use any preservative-free artificial tears to lubricate your eyes.

How to clean REUSABLE soft contact lenses

The most common and standard way of cleaning your lenses is using Multipurpose solution to clean, disinfect, and store your lenses. Common brands include: BioTrue® , Renu® , and Opti-free®

Wash your hands thoroughly.
Rub and rinse your contact lens case with multipurpose solution.
With your hands clean, squeeze out enough solution in the palm of one hand, then place your contact lens in the solution and rub both the front and back surface gently between your fingers, for 15 seconds.
Place the contact lens in your contact lens case and fill up the case with fresh solution. Let it soak overnight.
The next morning, after you put in your contacts, pour out the solution in the case and let it dry.

For individuals who are sensitive to certain ingredients in multipurpose solutions or preservatives, it is recommended to use a different hydrogen-peroxide based cleaner called ClearCare: see the instructions on how to use that here: https://clearcaresolution.myalcon.com/contact-lens-solution/clear-care/how-to-clean-contacts/

ALWAYS REMEMBER, if you experience any degree of unusual redness, eye pain or irritation, vision loss, blurred vision, excessive tearing, or swelling, remove your contact lenses and discontinue use until you talk with your doctor. I hope you all may continue to wear soft contact lenses comfortably and safely!