Contact Lens Safety: Avoiding Mistakes for Healthy Eyes

Your local eye doctor near you, Dr. C Vision Care in Pensacola, prioritizes keeping patients’ eyes healthy, especially those who wear contact lenses. Seemingly small, preventable errors in handling and wearing contacts can lead to significant eye health issues if left unchecked. Follow essential contact lens safety rules consistently and schedule thorough eye exams every 6 to 12 months with your optometrist for proper vision correction and attentive eye care.

The Most Common Contact Lens Mistakes

Sleeping in Your Contacts

Never sleep or nap in your contact lenses. Doing so drastically increases susceptibility to difficult-to-treat eye infections and ulcers that can permanently impair vision. Lenses should be removed daily for overnight disinfection and to allow oxygen to reach the eyes.

Infrequent Proper Cleaning

Thoroughly clean both the contact lens case and lenses daily by carefully following prescribed procedures. Replace old solution with fresh sterile saline every time. Also vital is removing accumulated protein biweekly via enzymatic cleaner to stop irritating deposit buildup on lenses.

Tap Water Exposure

Tap water contains microorganisms that can lead to severe infection when introduced to the eyes. While modern contacts are approved for some water exposure, avoid tap water entirely. After necessary water activities, promptly remove and disinfect lenses appropriately.

Unnecessarily Long Wear Times

Unless explicitly approved for extended or overnight wear by your optometrist, lenses must be removed daily. Giving eyes an overnight break prevents irritation, mitigates distortion in vision over the course of a day, and reduces bacterial overgrowth likelihood.

Use Beyond Replacement Schedule

Replace your contacts as frequently as prescribed by your eye doctor, throwing out any pairs past their recommended use-by date. Reusing old lenses too long raises the chances of eye health issues.

Uphold Rigorous Contact Lens Safety

Schedule comprehensive eye health exams every 6 to 12 months with Dr. C Vision Care’s licensed optometrists. Thorough testing and evaluation ensure your eyes stay in excellent shape internally and externally. Make sure contact lens prescriptions properly correct existing vision issues. During visits, inquire about the best lens options for your unique lifestyle factors. Discuss safety topics in detail, reviewing insertion/cleaning best practices personalized for your eyes' needs. Following strict contact lens safety rules is critical for preserving precious vision and overall eye health, so consult our team at Dr. C Vision Care with any concerns.

Need an Optometrist in Pensacola, FL?

For those requiring an eye doctor's dependable guidance to stay seeing clearly with contacts free of preventable health mistakes, call Dr. C Vision Care today to book your next eye exam.