Do you wear lenses? Here are eight mistakes you make every day

Their use is easier than you think – all you need to do is learn the technique of putting on and putting on contact lenses, and follow the rules of proper care. In practice, however, we make mistakes – it’s time to expose our most common “faults”.

Not washing your hands before putting on your lenses

In this case, the rule is simple and there are no exceptions: clean hands are hygienic contact lenses. So every time you put on or take off your contact lenses, wash your hands with a mild soap, rinse and dry with a lint-free towel. Hygiene when wearing contact lenses will avoid inflammation and eye irritation.

Using lenses longer than the period recommended by the manufacturer and specialist

This is a big mistake! Never wear contact lenses longer than the manufacturer’s recommended time. Monthly lenses are intended to be used for 30 days from the opening of the blister – no longer. Even if you don’t wear lenses every day, the lens material is gradually degrading, losing its properties. By not following the manufacturer’s recommendations, as well as the lens wearing regimen recommended by your specialist, you risk serious eye diseases.

Inadequate care of the lenses and the lens case

When using two-week or monthly lenses, proper hygiene and care are essential. Before removing your lenses, remember to wash and dry your hands thoroughly. However, after removing the lenses, place them on your hand and drizzle with a few drops of the liquid, and then rub the fingertip for a few seconds on both sides. The lenses cleaned in this way should be additionally rinsed with a care lotion.

The next step is to place the lenses in the container and pour fresh fluid over them so that they are covered. Thanks to this, we are able to thoroughly clean the lenses from the remnants of make-up and other impurities that have accumulated on them while wearing them. It also helps prevent eye infections. Importantly, the lenses must remain in the container for at least 4 hours. Another thing that we need to remember is the proper care of the lens case – we should not use it for more than 30 days, i.e. we change it with every monthly lens replacement.

Lifting the lenses by grasping them with your fingernails

Contact lenses should be handled carefully – grabbing the lens with your nails can tear it, and a damaged or torn lens is not suitable for wearing. Therefore, remember: after opening the blister, remove the lens with your fingertips.

Applying make-up before putting in your lenses and washing them off before taking them off

The order is reversed – we put on contact lenses first, and then we apply makeup. The same applies to make-up removal – first remove the lenses, and then remove the makeup. The correct order prevents contamination of the lenses with cosmetic deposits that can irritate the eye. When it comes to make-up removal products, light, moisturizing lotions are recommended instead of oily formulas. It is also worth remembering not to paint the inner edge of the lower eyelid with eyeliner or crayon, to give up loose powders and false eyelashes. The safest way to make-up is to use hypoallergenic, oil-free and fragrance-free cosmetics. Their use reduces the risk of irritation and infection and makes wearing lenses more comfortable.

Wearing lenses if your eyes are irritated or you feel uncomfortable

If your eyes are red, sensitive to light, or if you feel irritated or uncomfortable, remove your lenses and consult a specialist. Otherwise, you run the risk of developing serious complications.

Random lens selection

Lenses used by a husband or a friend will not necessarily also work for us, so the final decision about choosing contact lenses should always be made by an eye protection specialist. There are many types of lenses on the market that can be adapted to the preferences and needs of the user. Due to the wearing mode, there are daily wear lenses, extended wear lenses and continuous wear lenses.

However, due to the replacement mode, contact lenses can be divided into daily and reusable. Another criterion for classifying lenses is the material they are made of. Rigid lenses enable the correction of more complicated eye defects, while soft lenses (hydrogel and silicone-hydrogel) are used in regular eye defects. Silicone hydrogel materials are the latest advancement in technology aimed at increasing oxygen permeability (greater comfort, wearing the lens for longer periods and healthier eyes), wetting (greater comfort) and clinical effectiveness of contact lenses.

An example of third generation silicone hydrogel lenses are Bausch + Lomb ULTRA® lenses, designed for people with high visual requirements such as prolonged work at the computer or frequent use of electronic devices when the frequency of blinking decreases. Thanks to the MoistureSeal® technology, Bausch + Lomb ULTRA® lenses retain 95% of hydration for 16 hours, and the extremely high oxygen permeability (163 Dk / t) guarantees adequate oxidation of the cornea, which contributes to the maintenance of healthy eyes in good condition.

Taking a shower and swimming in the lenses

Tap, swimming pool or sea water is full of bacteria and other microorganisms, so the risk of contamination is much greater with contact lens swimming than without contact lenses. If you use monthly contact lenses and you want to wear contact lenses while swimming, ask a specialist (ophthalmologist, optometrist) about daily lenses. After swimming, throw them into the trash. Also, always use swimming goggles to protect your lenses from being lost under water and to protect your eyes from microbes to some extent.

Contact lenses and liquids for their care are medical products within the meaning of the Act of May 20, 2010 on medical devices.