Bad hygiene can damage your lens

A new study reveals that just two percent of contact lens wearers follow all the rules when it comes to contact lens hygiene. The biggest sins are showering, swimming, and sleeping while wearing your contact lenses, and using contacts longer than you should.

A new study reveals that just two percent of contact lens wearers follow all the rules when it comes to contact lens hygiene. The biggest sins are showering, swimming, and sleeping while wearing your contact lenses, and using contacts longer than you should.



In the study, published in the December issue of the journal, Optometry and Vision Science, 72% of the surveyed contact lens wearers said they had experienced discomfort from their lenses, and 47% reported having infection from their lenses.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology, Contact Lens Association for Ophthalmologists, offer the following tips:

* Avoid wearing lenses before plunging into a swimming pool. Water can spoil the lens.
* Never rinse or store lenses in water, whether tap or sterile.
*Saline solution and rewetting drops are not meant to disinfect your contact lenses.
* Discard your old lens and start a new pair according to the schedule given by your eye practitioner.
*To clean your lenses, rub them with your fingers and then rinse them with solution.
* Rinse your contact lens case with solution, not water. Allow the case to air-dry.