2 Mistakes You Should Avoid When Wearing New Contact Lenses

If you have always worn glasses, you may have decided recently to make the switch and be fitted for contact lenses. When you first get contacts, you may be eager to wear them and enjoy the convenience they provide. However, be aware of a couple of mistakes that you should avoid making when caring for and wearing your new contact lenses.

1.  Wearing Your Lenses While You Are Sleeping

If you received extended-wear lenses, you may believe this means that you can wear them continuously for a few days or even up to a week. Because of this, you may enjoy the thought of wearing them to bed and waking up to clear vision without having to clean and put them in. However, although the lenses state that they are extended wear, this does not mean that they should be left in overnight. It means that you can reuse the same pair for the amount of time recommended by your optometrist.

If you leave in the lenses while you are sleeping, a couple of things will happen. First, the lenses and your cornea can become dry. Instead of clear vision, you may wake up to seeing everything blurry because the lenses have dried out. You would need to use a rinsing solution or eye drops to remoisten them. Even then, the material may have deteriorated and could require that you replace them sooner than later.

Second, because your eyes have dried out, bacteria can more easily grow because your microbial-fighting tears are not able to wash them away. This could lead to eye infections if you repeatedly sleep with your contact lenses in.

2.  Using Anything other than a Recommended Solution to Clean Them

Another mistake you should avoid making when you take care of your contacts is using anything other than a recommended solution to clean or soak them. If you run out of a cleanser, you may believe that using ordinary eye drops or even water would be better than nothing.

However, if you use anything else that is not formulated for the delicate material from which the lenses are constructed, it could cause the material to deteriorate. It can also cause eye irritation and even infection.

Avoiding the above mistakes when you get new contact lenses for the first time can help ensure that your eyes stay healthy and your lenses stay in good condition while you are wearing them. For more information about getting contacts through an eye care center, contact a local optometrist.