Article
Contact lens hygiene: habits that protect your eyes
Most serious contact lens infections are preventable. The everyday habits that keep lens wear safe and comfortable.
Contact lenses are safe for most people when they are fitted properly and looked after well. Problems usually come from a few common habits: sleeping in lenses, topping up old solution, and letting lenses touch tap water. A corneal infection can threaten sight, so these small details matter.
Every day
- Wash and dry your hands before touching your lenses
- Use fresh solution every time. Never top up the solution left in the case
- Rub and rinse reusable lenses as the solution instructions say, even with "no rub" products
- Empty the case, rinse it with solution (not water) and leave it open to air-dry
- Throw daily lenses away after one use
Never
- Never sleep in lenses unless your eye doctor has prescribed lenses for overnight wear
- Never let lenses touch tap water, and never store them in water or saliva
- Never swim or shower in lenses
- Never wear lenses longer than their replacement schedule: a monthly lens is replaced after a month of use, however few days you wore it
- Never share lenses, including coloured or "fashion" lenses, which still need a proper fitting
Your lens case
Replace your lens case at least every three months. A dirty case is one of the most common sources of infection.
Give your eyes a break
Keep a pair of up-to-date glasses and wear them some evenings and whenever your eyes feel tired, dry or irritated. If you have hay fever or work long hours at a screen, ask about daily lenses or rewetting drops suitable for lens wear.
Yearly checks
Have your eyes and lens fit checked every year. Your prescription can change, and the eye doctor looks for early signs of oxygen shortage or irritation on the cornea that you cannot feel.
When to seek urgent care
Take your lenses out and get same-day eye care if you have:
- A red, painful eye
- Blurred vision that does not clear when the lens is removed
- Sensitivity to light
- Discharge or a white spot on the coloured part of the eye
Do not put the lenses back in until you have been seen, and bring the lenses and case with you.