Key Steps to Ensuring Contact Lens Safety

Download Key Steps to Ensuring Contact Lens Safety - PDF

Follow this new contact lens care guideline to ensure optimum maintenance and hygiene:

CONTACT LENS CLEANING
Safety is enhanced significantly by rubbing and rinsing contact lenses both prior to and following storage. (Do not use water or peroxide based solution to rinse lenses before inserting - ask your Eye Care Practitioner if in doubt).

If you drop a lens, clean and rinse before reinserting.

LENS CASE CLEANING
Lens case hygiene is extremely important. The inside of your contact lens case should be cleaned with your disinfecting solution and left to air dry after every use (When using peroxide based solution avoid getting the solution on the outside of the lens case).

Dispose of your old case and replace at least every month.

DISINFECTING SOLUTION
Never ‘top up’, i.e. add additional solution to the solution already in the lens case.

Replace open bottles of solution monthly.

Never re-use the solution in a contact lens case.

When lenses have been stored for more than 7 days, regardless of whether peroxide based or multipurpose solutions are used, lenses should be effectively re-disinfected before use.

WASH YOUR HANDS
Contact lenses should always be handled with cleaned, washed, dry hands. Preferably use an appropriate (non-moisturising, non-residue) soap or disinfectant and dry your hands with lint-free
tissues or cloths.

WATER
Never use tap water to store, clean or rinse your contact lenses or lens case. Water is a common source of bugs that can produce sight-threatening infections.

Avoid splashing water directly into your eyes while wearing your contact lenses.

Storing your contact lenses and lens cases in the bathroom carries a high risk of airborne contamination with bacteria.

HOLIDAYS AND SWIMMING
One of the high risk occasions is going on holiday – an appropriate ‘travel kit’ should be carried and used. Make sure you have enough solution, a clean case and a spare pair of glasses whenever you travel.

Always keep your glasses up to date in case of a broken or lost lens or if an adverse response occurs.

Another high risk occasion for contact lens wearers is exposure to potential contaminants from beach,
swimming pool or spa water – goggles should be worn while swimming with lenses or lenses
should be removed.

After swimming, lenses should be cleaned and disinfected before being reinserted.

SALIVA
Do not allow saliva to come into contact with your lenses, lens case or swimming goggles as it is a potential source of contamination.

SLEEPING WITH CONTACT LENSES
Never sleep in your contact lenses unless advised by your Eye Care Practitioner.

If you have been advised by your Eye Care Practitioner you are able to sleep in your contact lenses:

only sleep in lenses specifically prescribed for extended wear do not sleep in lenses if you are sick

EVERY DAY
Check that your eyes Look good, Feel good and See well.

If not, contact your Eye Care Practitioner immediately.

PROFESSIONAL ADVICE
Ask your contact lens practitioner if you have any questions about your lens care.

Seek professional advice immediately and remove your contact lenses if your eyes become red or sore.

Download - Key Steps to Ensuring Contact Lens Safety - PDF


Adapted from Asia Pacific Summit on Contact Lens Care 2007, made possible through an educational grant from Advanced Medical Optics (AMO).

Attendees:
Prof Brien Holden, Prof Deborah Sweeney, Ms Wendy Ho, Ms Jyoti Dave, Prof Xiao-Mei Qu, Dr Stan Isaacs, Prof Jai Min Kim, Dr Usman Husin, Mr Joseph Fung, Dr Kah Meng Chung, A/ Prof Pauline Cho, Dr Huey- Chuan Cheng, Prof Pei-Ying Xie, Mr Kevin Siew, Mr Alan Saks, Dr Wilfred Tang, Dr Hsi-Ming Yang