During the Covid-19 pandemic there has been some confusion about contact lens safety.
There is no evidence to date that suggests there is any correlation between using contact lenses and the spread of coronavirus, or an infection related to contact lens use. For those who use contact lenses instead of spectacles, this means you can continue doing so without any risk.
Whilst it is safe to continue wearing your contact lenses, it is in your best interest to make sure you are caring for your contact lenses correctly, as advised by your optometrist. Maintaining your lens hygiene and wear schedule can help protect your eyes from eye infections and anterior eye conditions.
Always wash and dry your hands thoroughly before handling your contact lenses.
Making sure your hands are clean and dry before touching your contact lenses or removing them from your eyes is important. Clean hands will stop any unwanted bacteria transferring from your hands onto your lenses or your eyes.
Only wear your contact lenses for the recommended time frame.
There are different types of contact lenses that can be worn over different time frames Make sure that you follow the guidance for the specific types of lenses you have and dispose of them accordingly. Daily contact lenses are only for daily use and should be removed and thrown away at the end of each day.
Clean and store reusable contact lenses in fresh solution each day.
Reusable contact lenses need to be cleaned when they are removed and stored in fresh solution each day. This helps to remove anything that may have got stuck to the lenses during the day and remove any bacteria. Don’t forget to give the pot a clean too, but only use your solution not water!
Only use the products recommended by your optometrist such as solutions and eye drops.
Not all contact lenses are the same, meaning the products you use with them are not the same either. It is advised to only use the solutions and other products such as eye drops, that your optometrist has suggested you use.
Remove your lenses before coming into contact with water.
Contact lenses and water are not a good mix. Any activity that includes water such as showering, and swimming should be done without your contact lenses. This is to prevent any bacteria found in water from coming into contact with your lenses and causing any potential infections.
Keep up to date with your contact lens aftercare appointments.
This is one of the most important steps. Keeping up to date with your aftercare appointments not only allows the optometrist to check your prescription, but also the health of the surface of your eyes.
For any more information regarding contact lenses, products and aftercare appointments contact your local Eye Place.