How to Lengthen the Life of Your Contacts

Contact lenses should not be worn past the recommended time prescribed by the manufacturer and your doctor. However, some individuals find it difficult to wear their contact lenses for even that length of time, due to a variety of reasons. This could be loss of lenses, tearing of lenses, or the result of improper care.

To get the most out of each pair of contact lenses you wear, you can implement strategies to elongate the longevity of your lenses. These tips will help to keep your eyes healthy, your vision clear, and extend the life of your contact lenses.

Contact Lens Varieties

There are many types of contact lens being sold in the United Kingdom today.  

• Soft contacts, made of soft plastics, must not be worn beyond a relatively strict timeline. This schedule could be daily, weekly, or extended wear monthly.
• Rigid gas permeable lenses are made of a hard plastic that allows oxygen to reach the eye. These contacts are typically meant to last much longer than soft lenses, and are usually more expensive.
• Extended wear soft contacts last up to a month.
• Disposable lenses are meant to be worn and thrown away each day, replacing them the next morning with a new pair.

Extending Your Lens Life

Proper care of your contact lenses naturally extends the life of your contacts – as well as promotes the health of your eye. There are several precautions you can take to get the most out of your contact lenses:

• Washing your hands with soap and hot water before you handle your lenses. Make sure that your hands are completely free of soap residue, lotion, or other chemicals, as these can be very painful to your eyes. 
• Make sure you are cleaning your contacts based upon your doctor’s orders. Each type of contact lens requires a different sterilization procedure. Cleaning your contacts properly is the key step to healthy eyes. 
• Clean and sterilise your contact lenses case. Often overlooked, it is important to regularly clean your case, either with sterile solution or hot water. In both scenarios, you should air dry the case to ensure that no bacteria buildup is created.
• Avoid sleeping in your contact lenses, with the exception of extended wear soft contacts.  While you are sleeping, the lack of natural tears reduces the amount of oxygen to your eyes – which causes your eyes to dry out significantly. 
• If you wear makeup, make sure you put your contacts in before your makeup – especially eye makeup. When you are ready to retire for the evening, take out your contacts first, and then remove your makeup.

The little tasks, such as keeping your nails short and being cautious when placing your contacts in their case, make a large difference in the longevity of your lenses and the health of your eye. Putting these tips to work with your contact lens regimen will ensure they last as long as they are supposed to.