Many eye care professionals recommend that you get into the habit of starting with the same eye every time. In fact, any kind of water, including bottled and distilled, gets absorbed by the lenses and may cause the lens material to warp. Unfiltered tap water is not clean enough to clean and disinfect your lenses. Regardless of which type of lens you wear, never use tap water or saliva. It is recommended that soft contact-lens wearers keep some of this solution with them at all times in case of emergencies.

Instead, always use a wetting solution such as saline solution or over-the-counter soft contact-lens rinse. Soft contact lens wearers should never use any of the substances mentioned above. If so directed by your eye doctor, you may be able to use bottled or distilled water to wet your RGP lenses. In some cases, such as when wearing RGP lenses, it is better to insert the lenses dry rather than moisten them with saliva or tap water. These substances are a leading cause of eye infections. Both of these substances contain bacteria that can cause significant damage to your lenses and overall eye health. Tip: Never use saliva or tap water to moisten your lenses. Environmental factors are usually the culprit, although some people’s eyes have a natural tendency to become dry, which in effect dries out the lenses. It is very common for contact lenses to become dry. Most contact lens wearers know it can sometimes be difficult to keep their lenses moist. If your eye doctor believes the lenses are safe and can be worn comfortably, follow his or her instructions. Instead call your doctor for a replacement pair and use another pair of lenses or your eyeglasses. If they are damaged-even if they only have tiny nicks or tears-do not use them even if they are clean and ready for insertion. Always inspect your lenses before inserting them. If you are going to be inserting your lenses over a bathroom sink, close the drain.

If you are in pain, call your eye doctor immediately. If they do not pass within a reasonable amount of time, call your eye doctor. Wait a few hours or until the symptoms pass. If your eyes are red or irritated, do not insert your lenses. Ivory and Neutrogena are both appropriate soaps.

Before handling your lenses, always wash your hands using a non-creamy, non-oily soap. Preparing to Insert Your Lenses – Ready, Set, Go!īefore inserting your lenses you should take proper precautions to ensure they are in good condition and ready for wear. If you are unsure about any step, you should ask your eye-care provider to further review and explain the process. Keep in mind that rigid gas permeable (RGP) and soft contact lenses require slightly different kinds of care.Įach type of contact lens and care product or solution will have specific instructions for how long to rub the lenses to clean them (or not to rub them at all), how long to soak the lenses, and how long to rinse the lenses and in what type of solution.įollow these instructions carefully. Whether you are use daily wear or extended wear contact lenses, and whether you discard them each day or after two weeks or more, it is important to follow your eye-care provider’s instructions carefully regarding cleaning and disinfection.

Refresh contacts cleaner