Contact Lens Care

Proper care and handling of your contact lenses is crucial in maintaining the health of your eyes.  The following instructions will help you become a successful contact lens wearer.

  1. Always wash your hands when handling your contact lenses.   Use a lint free towel to dry your hands.
  2. Contact lenses should be carefully and regularly cleaned.  Lenses should be rubbed for 10 seconds on each side gently and soaked overnight in enough solution to completely cover each lens (even if solution is a NO RUB solution!).
  3. Use the proper products recommended to clean and disinfect contact lenses.  Saline solution does NOT disinfect and put your eyes at increased risk for infection.
  4. NEVER use water!  Water contains many microbials that can stick to the surface of your contact lenses and cause ulcers and infections.
  5. Lenses should be stored in a clean case.  Contact lens cases should be replaced every three months.
  6. Clean the contact lens case after each use and keep the case open to air dry.
  7. Only fresh solution should be used to clean and disinfect contact lenses.  NEVER re-use old solution.
  8. Contact lens solution should be changed daily, even if the lenses are not use daily.
  9. If you experience unexplained eye pain, redness, eye discharge, water eyes, increased sensitivity to light, foggy vision, or decrease in vision remove your contact lenses IMMEDIATELY and seek care from your eye care professional before wearing your contact lenses again.
  10. As required, it is of the upmost importance that you return for all required follow-up care.

 

CONTACT LENS INSERTION

  1. Thoroughly wash and dry your hands.
  2. Use a flat surface so that if the contact lens falls, you can easily find it.
  3. Start with the right lens first.  This is a good habit to start in order to avoid future mix-ups.
  4. Place the right lens at the TIP OF YOUR INDEX FINGER of your dominant hand.
  5. Using the MIDDLE finger of your OTHER hand, pull and hold your upper lid FIRMLY open so that you can no longer blink.
  6. Using the MIDDLE finger of the hand WITH the contact lens, pull your LOWER eyelid down.
  7. LOOK UP and place the lens gently on the lower white part of your eye.  If this does not work, try looking DIRECTLY at the lens and place the lens directly onto the COLORED part of your eyes.
  8. Once the lens is in, do NOT blink!  Look down so that contact lens can position itself correctly on your eye.
  9. Slowly release your eyelid and close you eye for a moment.
  10. Blink gently a few times to center the lens on your eye.

 

CONTACT LENS REMOVAL

  1. Thoroughly wash and dry hands.
  2. Use a flat surface so that if the contact lens falls, you can easily find it.
  3. Make sure that the lens is centered on your eye (look into the mirror).
  4. Look up and pull your lower eyelid DOWN with the middle finger of your dominant hand.
  5. Using the index finger of your dominant hand, pull the lens gently down while still looking up.
  6. Lens should be dragged down to the lower white part of your eye.
  7. Gently squeeze the lens between your thumb and index finger and remove it from your eye.
  8. If you have trouble, try placing in a rewetting drop before attempting to remove you contact lens.

Please feel free to contact Westside Eyecare at anytime by phone: (281) 531-7020 or email our eye doctor at dr.nguyen@WestsideEyeCareHouston.com if you have any questions or concerns.