Your vision is precious to your everyday life, and one way of ensuring that it stays intact is to execute proper use over every eye-related item. Even your handling of your contact lens case will make the difference between excellent eye health and potential infections.
Contact lens wearers may make several mistakes when handling their casing, but being more aware of these issues might give you a better understanding of how to better care for your eyes. Here are some of the things you should avoid doing to continue using your contact lens case:
1) Forgetting to Wash Your Hands
Our hands roam around and come into contact with so many objects and surfaces, many of which are filled with bacteria. Being unsuspecting of these potential germs and holding your contact lens case while your hands are still dirty can contaminate the container.
By proxy, that contamination can spread to your actual contact lens and your eyes. Make a habit of washing your hands more frequently, especially before you touch your contact lens case. You’re sure that your hands are free from any lingering allergens or viruses that way.
2) Forgoing to Clean the Case
In conjunction with washing your hands, contact lens wearers should thoroughly clean the case with some lens solution. This container should ideally be washed after every use, but some may not even pay attention to their case at all by forgoing the cleaning.
Unfortunately, opting not to wash the contact lens case can lead to a build-up of muck. This accumulation of gunk won’t bode well for the lens solution and certainly not for your contacts or eyes. Clean both your hands and the case before use.
3) Giving the Case the Wrong Environment
Your contact lens case should be stored in a place that is less humid. The bathroom isn’t the ideal environment since the temperature can be the most humid in your home, and there are chemicals that can affect the case and solution. Change it up and place your contact lens case in your bedroom instead.
4) Disregarding Replacement Cases
Some contact lens wearers may not be aware of this, but you have to change your cases every three months. Although that might seem a little early, it’s actually optimal to zero in on any bacteria that might be hiding in the container, even with clean hands and a case. If you can’t remember the last time you changed contact lens cases, it’s probably time to do so.
5) Keeping the Old Lens Solution In
The lens solution in your contacts’ cases should usually be emptied out and changed with fresh and new liquid. Some wearers may have the bad habit of just reusing the old solution that’s still in the case or just topping it off with some new solution for a ‘cleaner’ mix. However, keep in mind that the liquids don’t have to seem murky to be dirty. Fully replace the solution.
6) Storing Expired Contacts in the Case
The same pair of contact lenses can’t be used beyond its expiry date, and putting them in a case with a new solution doesn’t make them any more usable. In fact, expired contacts in your case might infect the overall container. It’s better to just remove and throw away those contacts, getting a new pair and case as a replacement.
Conclusion
Knowing what not to do can help you exercise better caution when handling your contact lens and its casing. If you’re seeking more advice on how to best maintain your eye care, seek optical professionals.
Looking to get a new contact lens case? Vision & Eyes in the UK offers over 35 years of optical care expertise, building up knowledge and offering great eye care products. Contact us today!