Are You Keeping Up with Optimal Hygiene?

It is estimated that one in ten people in our country wears contacts. This adds up to approximately 40 million Americans in contact lenses. If you are one of them, you may remember your eye doctor providing you with detailed information regarding the optimal care of your “new eyes.” Contact lenses offer clear advantages over eyeglasses. They don’t inhibit appearance or get in the way of daily activities. In many ways, contact lenses may be more convenient. They do, however, need to receive good care on a routine basis.

Judging by a large number of eye infections traced back to contact lenses, we think its safe to say that a refresher course in contact care 101 is in order. Most of these tips are already in your knowledge base, but they need to be brought to the forefront to enable you to prevent an uncomfortable eye condition that keeps you from optimal living. Even if it lasts only a few days, an eye infection is no fun. Here are a few ways you can avoid this common problem.

1. Use appropriate cleaning solution. Water is not an approved cleansing solution for contact lenses for a reason. The lenses that are inserted into the eye need to be as sterile as possible if the infection is to be avoided. Water that comes from a bottle is no more sterile than water from a tap.
2. Clean your contact lens case. Most people can remember to clean their contact lenses routinely, but the case that holds contacts is often forgotten. This holding container can benefit from cleaning a few times a week. A swipe with your finger or soft cloth and a rinse with contact lens cleaning solution are all it takes to inhibit the accumulation of debris and bacteria.
3. Replace your contact lens case. Even if you clean your contact lens case frequently, replacement is still a good idea. This is because an invisible bio-film may develop on the inner lining of the container, leading to contamination that could cause infection.
4. Take a break. When you’re used to wearing contact lenses, the very idea of wearing eyeglasses for a day or two can be more than a little unappealing. Doing this, though, allows air to permeate the ocular surface to support normal and optimal functions.

Do you need new contacts or treatment for eye infection? The Central Florida Eye Institute can help. Call our Ocala office at (352) 237-8400 for friendly care.