Contact lenses are medical products that require specific usage and/or maintenance conditions to protect your visual and ocular health.
At L’Atelier Ópticas, we work with the goal of guaranteeing you the best visual care accompanied by the best products on the market. That is why every time we examine your eyes, we perform a health check, detecting or ruling out any ocular anomalies or conditions.
In the article below, we present a series of recommendations, tips, and contraindications for the use, handling, cleaning, and maintenance of contact lenses to ensure proper function and safe adaptation.
Here are some tips for using contact lenses
- Respect wearing time. Contact lenses should not be worn continuously. Although this depends on the material and quality of the contact lens, and each specific user, contact lenses should not be worn for more than 8 hours a day, allowing rest and fresh air flow.
- Combine contact lenses and glasses. The best advice from an optometrist is “Don’t risk your visual health.” If you are a contact lens user, we always recommend having glasses with your current prescription for any unforeseen circumstances, alterations, discomfort, changes, etc.
- Contact lens users also need sunglasses. Since contact lenses only cover part of the eye, they do not provide sufficient protection. We recommend wearing sunglasses with UV filters.
- Respect expiration date. Each lens has an indicated expiration date. It is essential to check and discard any lens past its expiration date. Never use contact lenses for longer than recommended.
- Remove contact lenses if they feel uncomfortable, cause tearing, irritation, stinging, itching, pain or discomfort, blurry vision, allergy, inflammation, or a gritty or foreign body sensation. Visit your professional immediately.
- Discard daily lenses after each use. Discard frequent-use lenses once their period is over.
Contact lenses cleaning recomendations
Impeccable hygiene is essential to avoid discomfort, infections, or intolerance. These are general daily guidelines for contact lens users:
- Wash hands and dry them carefully before inserting, removing, or handling the lenses.
- After each use, clean the lenses by gently rubbing them with your fingertip on the palm of your hand. It is important to remove any residue from cosmetics, air pollutants and toxins, and secretions generated from use.
- Discard daily contact lenses after use. Do not reuse them once removed.
- Never use maintenance solutions that are not recommended by a professional. It is a medical product. Do not buy from unofficial establishments. Not all products are suitable for every lens type.
- Store the lenses in cases specifically designed for them.
- Clean the lens case weekly. Discard and replace it at least once a month. Microorganisms and bacteria may grow and cause serious infections.
- Never wash lenses with water. Nor apply water to the eyes while wearing lenses. It is important not to bathe or shower with them on.
Contact lenses maintenance recomendations
- Check the expiration date of both contact lenses and maintenance solutions. Discard any expired product.
- Never leave maintenance bottles improperly closed.
- Never reuse the cleaning solution left in the lens case.
- Never rinse the case with water. Clean it with the cleaning solution.
- Never mix different solutions unless explicitly instructed.
Contraindications for contact lenses use
- Users with fever or a severe cold. It is recommended to wear glasses while recovering from any illness. Some medications like eye drops, antihistamines, hormones, contraceptives can cause ocular metabolic changes. Avoid using lenses while under treatment.
- Water sports or contact sports (like boxing).
- Environments with heavy dust or harmful vapours.
- Avoid using nails when applying or removing lenses or during handling, as this increases the risk of breakage. Always use fingertips and techniques recommended by your optometrist.
- Can we sleep with contact lenses? Sleeping with lenses reduces oxygen and tear supply. It is not advisable unless the lenses are specifically designed for it, such as Ortho-k lenses, or if the user has passed appropriate physiological and tolerance tests.
- Is makeup compatible with contact lenses? Yes. Insert lenses before applying makeup and remove them before taking it off, avoiding contact lenses contamination. Daily or disposable lenses are recommended.
So, what is the success formula for enjoying contact lenses?
To enjoy all the benefits of contact lenses for many years, we simply need to respect and follow these steps:
- Visit our opticians at L’Atelier Ópticas for a fully personalized fitting. Comply with contact lens replacement schedules.
- Follow proper maintenance and cleaning guidelines.
- Undergo regular check-ups.
- Pay attention to any signs of visual or ocular problems.
At L’Atelier Ópticas, we work to offer you the best visual care service along with the most personalized solutions for your eyes. Visit any of our centres located in Madrid, or book an appointment now.
