Are You Making These 7 Common Mistakes with Your Contact Lenses?
- By Zeliha
- •
- 04 Mar, 2025
- •
Contact lenses have become a popular choice for vision correction, offering convenience and improved aesthetics. However, improper care and handling of contact lenses can lead to serious eye health issues. Avoiding common mistakes is crucial for maintaining eye health and comfort.
Contact lenses have become a popular choice for vision correction, offering convenience and improved aesthetics. However, improper care and handling of contact lenses can lead to serious eye health issues. Avoiding common mistakes is crucial for maintaining eye health and comfort.
1. Not Washing Hands Before Handling Lenses
When you don’t wash your hands before touching your contact lenses, you risk transferring bacteria and other harmful pathogens to your eyes. This can lead to infections such as conjunctivitis. Always wash your hands with soap and water and dry them thoroughly with a lint-free towel before handling your lenses to prevent contamination. For more tips on proper hand hygiene, check out our detailed guide here.
2. Sleeping in Contact Lenses
Sleeping in contact lenses, unless they are specifically designed for overnight wear, can significantly increase the risk of eye infections and corneal damage. The lack of oxygen in your eyes can lead to serious conditions such as corneal ulcers. For those who find it inconvenient to remove lenses every night, consider extended-wear lenses that are approved for overnight use, but always consult with your eye care professional first.
3. Using Tap Water or Saliva to Clean Lenses
Using tap water or saliva to clean your lenses is a major mistake. Tap water can contain microorganisms that are harmful to your eyes, and saliva is full of bacteria. Always use sterile contact lens solution to clean and store your lenses. This helps to properly disinfect the lenses and maintain eye health.
4. Overwearing Lenses Beyond the Recommended Time
Wearing contact lenses longer than recommended can cause discomfort, dryness, and increase the risk of eye infections. Each type of contact lens has a specific wear schedule designed to keep your eyes healthy. Stick to this schedule, whether it’s daily, bi-weekly, or monthly disposables, and replace your lenses as instructed. For more information on the risks of overwearing, visit this resource.
5. Ignoring the Lens Case Hygiene
A dirty lens case can harbour bacteria and fungi, leading to eye infections. Clean your lens case regularly with contact lens solution, not water, and let it air dry. Replace your lens case every three months or as recommended by your eye care provider to ensure it remains hygienic. Our guide on lens case hygiene offers step-by-step instructions.
6. Skipping Regular Eye Exams
Regular eye exams are essential for monitoring your eye health and ensuring your contact lens prescription is up to date. During these exams, your eye care professional can detect early signs of potential problems and address them before they become serious. Don’t skip these important check-ups, even if your vision seems fine. Schedule your next eye exam with us here.
7. Using Expired Lenses or Solutions
Using expired contact lenses or solutions can be detrimental to your eye health. Expired products may not be sterile, increasing the risk of infections. Always check expiration dates and make sure to replace your lenses and solutions as needed. Keeping track of these dates can help you avoid unnecessary risks.
Conclusion
By avoiding these common mistakes, you can enjoy comfortable and healthy vision. Remember to wash your hands, avoid sleeping in your lenses, use the proper cleaning solutions, follow the recommended wear schedule, maintain lens case hygiene, attend regular eye exams, and never use expired products.
Avoid these common mistakes and enjoy a comfortable, healthy vision with our expert tips. Schedule an appointment with us today for personalised advice!
Avoid these common mistakes and enjoy a comfortable, healthy vision with our expert tips. Schedule an appointment with us today for personalised advice!
Questions answered, about eye tests, hearing tests. Services available in Dagenham and Eye care in Woodford.
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Also known as "Surfer's Eye", Pterygium is an elevated, wedged-shaped growth from the lining of the eyelid onto the cornea. Although is benign, the growth itself can permanently disfigure the eye, reduce significantly the eyesight or even cause blindness. It became known as "Surfer's eye" because it is usually a consequence of being exposed to bright sun for long hours, specially by the water or snow - which reflects the UV rays to your eyes.
Causes
As written above, UV exposure seems to be one of the main reasons for Pterygium development, but wind and dust can also cause it as this leads to Dry Eye Disease, which by consequence will lead to this condition. Genetics may also play an important part, as some people seem to be more at risk than others.
Signs & Symptoms
Pterygium usually appears on the side of your eye that is closest to the nose, but it can also appear on the other sometimes. It is common to have it in one eye only, although sometimes it may appear on both eyes.
There are people who don't experience any symptoms or require treatment in the beginning, but as the growth develops, there can be redness, gritty, itchy or burning sensation, the eyes can become irritated and even swollen.
When the Pterygium starts to invade the cornea, it distorts the shape of the front of the eye, causing the curve of the cornea to change, leading then to refractive errors (Astigmatism in most cases).
Treatment
The treatment depends on the size of the Pterygium itself. If it's just a small growth, your Optometrist/Ophthalmologist can advise the patient on lubricants (eye drops or gels) to temporary reduce symptoms like redness, swelling, itchy or gritty felling.
If the Pterygium is more advanced, the only option is then surgery.
How to avoid it
As previously said, UV radiation and exposure seems to be one of the main reason leading to Pterygium. For that you have the perfect solution that is available for everyone - sunglasses . A good pair of sunglasses will filter the UV rays, giving you a sharper vision but also protecting you from conditions like Pterygium, Cataracts, Glaucoma, etc. Make sure to buy your sunglasses from a Optician instead of a shop non-related to eye care. A good pair of sunglasses should have UVA, UVB and UVC protection, and usually those shops will only have one of those protections - or even none.
We remind you that if you have any of these symptoms or any other, if you need to book an appointment or if you have any queries, please contact us over phone or email. We will be very happy to help you.
Keep in mind: At Care Optics - Eye Care, We Care
Causes
As written above, UV exposure seems to be one of the main reasons for Pterygium development, but wind and dust can also cause it as this leads to Dry Eye Disease, which by consequence will lead to this condition. Genetics may also play an important part, as some people seem to be more at risk than others.
Signs & Symptoms
Pterygium usually appears on the side of your eye that is closest to the nose, but it can also appear on the other sometimes. It is common to have it in one eye only, although sometimes it may appear on both eyes.
There are people who don't experience any symptoms or require treatment in the beginning, but as the growth develops, there can be redness, gritty, itchy or burning sensation, the eyes can become irritated and even swollen.
When the Pterygium starts to invade the cornea, it distorts the shape of the front of the eye, causing the curve of the cornea to change, leading then to refractive errors (Astigmatism in most cases).
Treatment
The treatment depends on the size of the Pterygium itself. If it's just a small growth, your Optometrist/Ophthalmologist can advise the patient on lubricants (eye drops or gels) to temporary reduce symptoms like redness, swelling, itchy or gritty felling.
If the Pterygium is more advanced, the only option is then surgery.
How to avoid it
As previously said, UV radiation and exposure seems to be one of the main reason leading to Pterygium. For that you have the perfect solution that is available for everyone - sunglasses . A good pair of sunglasses will filter the UV rays, giving you a sharper vision but also protecting you from conditions like Pterygium, Cataracts, Glaucoma, etc. Make sure to buy your sunglasses from a Optician instead of a shop non-related to eye care. A good pair of sunglasses should have UVA, UVB and UVC protection, and usually those shops will only have one of those protections - or even none.
We remind you that if you have any of these symptoms or any other, if you need to book an appointment or if you have any queries, please contact us over phone or email. We will be very happy to help you.
Keep in mind: At Care Optics - Eye Care, We Care
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