"You only have one pair of eyes, so take care of them! Healthy Habits = Healthy Eyes. Taking proper care of your contact lenses can help you see better and keep your eyes healthy.
When cared for properly, contact lenses can provide a safe and effective way to correct your vision. In fact, more than 45 million Americans wear contact lenses. However, wearing contact lenses can increase your chance of getting an eye infection—especially if you do not care for your lenses the right way.
Contact Lens Health Starts with You
Your habits, supplies, and eye care provider are all essential to keeping your eyes healthy. Both contact lens wearers and eye care providers play an important role in proper eye care. By following your eye care provider’s instructions on how to properly wear, clean, and store your lenses, you can enjoy the comfort and benefits of contact lenses while lowering your chances of an eye infection.
Follow these healthy habits to safely wear contact lenses and help protect your eyes:
Don’t Sleep in Your Contact Lenses
- Don’t sleep in your contact lenses unless prescribed by your eye care provider. Sleeping while wearing contact lenses has been shown to cause up to 8 times greater risk of an eye infection.
Wash Your Hands
- Always wash your hands with soap and water before handling your lenses.
- Dry your hands well with a clean cloth before touching your contact lenses every time.
Keep Contact Lenses Away From All Water
- Water can introduce germs to the eyes through contact lenses. Remove contact lenses before swimming and avoid showering in them.
Properly Clean Your Lenses
- Rub and rinse your contact lenses with contact lens disinfecting solution—never water or saliva—to clean them each time you remove them.
- Don’t “top off” solution. Use only fresh contact lens disinfecting solution in your case—never mix fresh solution with old or used solution.
- Use only the contact lens solution recommended by your eye care provider..."
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