Do's and don'ts when wearing contact lenses

Contacts are a great alternative to glasses. However, even though an estimated 45 million Americans wear contact lenses, up to 90 percent don’t know how to properly take care of their contacts! There are many complications to the misuse of your contacts that can affect your long-term eye health, so it’s imperative to follow good care.

Here is the top do's and don'ts when wearing contact lenses:

Things to DO when wearing contacts

• DO wash your hands properly with soap before handling your contact lenses to remove germs and debris that may cause irritation or scratches to your contacts and/or eyes.
• DO keep your contact lens case clean. Your lenses can get contaminated if not stored in a germ-free place. Clean your case daily with this simple method: pour out the solution, use a few drops of solution and rub with a clean finger, rinse with fresh solution, and store it upside down on a clean paper towel until dry. Seal it up until ready to use.
• DO replace your contact lens case every month to every three months.
• DO follow the contact lens manufacturer and your optometrist's recommended schedule for replacing your expired contact lenses.
• DO keep up on your regular eye examinations as recommended by your optometrist to ensure eye health.
• DO use the best contact solution for your eye and lens type.

Things NOT TO DO when wearing contacts

• DON’T buy contacts without a contact lens prescription. Thought about trying color lenses without correction? You should have an eye doctor give you an exam and fitting.
• DON’T place lenses in your mouth for cleaning or rewetting. Putting lenses in your mouth can transfer bacteria to your lens and your eye, causing infection.
• DON’T use tap water to rinse your lenses. Adding new solution to old solution already in the case or cleaning lenses with water can cause infection due to bacteria.
• DON’T expose your lenses or storage case to excessive heat.
• DON’T rub your eyes roughly while wearing your contact lenses. You can scratch the lens or cause other issues to your eyes.
• DON’T leave your contacts in for too long.

If you wear makeup with contacts, here are some more contact do's and don'ts to keep in mind so that your eyes stay healthy.

• DO apply your cosmetics after your contacts are in your eyes.
• DO apply eye makeup on the outer lid margin only.
• DO remove lenses before removing makeup. Oil-based remover can transfer oils to your eyes, and flaking makeup can cause irritation and scratches.
• DO use a cream base rather than loose powder, which can irritate your eyes and damage your lenses.
• DO use hypo-allergenic, oil, and fragrance-free mascara that won't flake or clump.
• DON’T share your cosmetics with others! Sharing products, especially eye makeup, can transfer bacteria and other infection-causing germs.

Looking for more makeup tips? See our exhaustive list of tips for contact lens users who also wear makeup.