Before Handling Your Lenses:
- Read these instructions carefully.
- These general instructions may be added to or varied by your practitioner for your individual requirements.
- These instructions are not intended for use by wearers of soft contact lenses.
Starting Tips:
- Always wash and rinse your hands thoroughly before handling your lenses. Clearer soaps are better since they contain less lanolin which can smear the contact lens surface. Avoid liquid soaps which often contain moisturisers that coat lenses. Dry your hands with a lint-free cloth to reduce the chance of trapped dust under the lens.
- All traces of soap, perfumes, hair sprays, creams and lotions should be removed from your hands and around the eyes.
- Keep your nails trimmed and clean.
- Insert lenses before applying make-up and when using hairspray, close your eyes.
- Examine the lens before insertion for damage, scratches, nicks or chips, and only wear the lenses for the recommended time.
- Avoid levering or scraping lenses off flat surface with your fingernails or sharp pointed objects.
Len Insertion:
Always insert the same lens first, to avoid confusion.
Any engravings to identify the correct lens for each eye will be demonstrated by your practitioner.
Now
- Remove the lens from the storage case by gently putting your finger into the lens, it should stick to your finger and lift out. Wiping it out will scratch the lens.
- If needed, add one or two drops of fresh solution to the inside surface of the lens.
- Balance the lens on the tip of your forefinger.
- Pull the lower lid down with the middle finger of the same hand.
- Hold the upper lid firmly from above with the middle finger of the other hand. Make sure the finger is placed just where the eyelid meets the eyelashes.
- Now that the eye is wide open, place the lens on the cornea.
- Release the lower lid and then the upper lid and blink.
- If the lens is not properly centred on the cornea, gently manipulate by using the eyelids.
NB: Never use saliva or tap water to rewet the lens (risk of infection)!!
Recentering:
Occasionally, a lens may be displaced onto the conjunctiva, (white of the eye) when inserting, or with sudden eye movements or excessive tear flow.
The lens may be left on the conjunctiva for some hours without injury or discomfort.
- Locate the lens by looking in a mirror. It may be necessary to pull your lids well back to expose the lens, particularly from under the top lid.
Note: The lens cannot slip behind the eye.
- Move the lens with the eyelids until it is adjacent to the cornea.
- It is often easiest to re-centre the lens from directly below the cornea by pushing it upwards with the bottom lid.
NB: As this action may push the lens out of the eye, work over a surface from where the lens can be retrieved if it drops.
- If the lens feels uncomfortable or if the lens fails to re-centre, remove the lens with a contact lens sucker and re-insert.
Removal:
Method 1:
A suction holder is the most recommended method for lens removal. Make sure that it is applied directly to the lens and not onto the eye. When the ‘sucker’ has suctioned onto the lens gently twist the lens off your eye. To remove the lens from the sucker hold the contact lens and slide off the ‘sucker’ sideways. Pulling the lens directly off the sucker may result in lens warpage.
Method 2:
In emergency, Blink Method can also be used for lens removal.
- Look straight ahead opening your eyes as wide as possible.
- Place a fingertip on the outer corner of the eyelids so that pressure is applied evenly to both upper and lower lid margins.
- Pull your finger towards the ear and slightly upwards. Then open the eye as wide as possible. Blink strongly and catch the lens in your other hand cupped under the eye.
- If the lens does not come out with the first blink, relax, reposition your finger and repeat.
Discomfort:
- If the lens is uncomfortable, remove it, clean, rinse and rewet the lens and place it back on your eye.
- If the lens continues to be uncomfortable, remove it and do not attempt to wear it again until you have consulted your contact lens practitioner.
Cleaning, Disinfecting and Rewetting
Cleaning, disinfecting and rewetting are separate procedures, which must be followed one after the other.
Cleaning:
The importance of effective cleaning cannot be over-emphasised. Cleaning immediately after taking each lens out removes the sticky deposits, which build up during wear.
Method:
- Place the lens on the palm of your hand.
- Apply 1 or 2 drops of your specified cleaning solution on the lens.
- Rub gently with a circular motion for about 10 seconds. Make sure both sides of the lens are cleaned.
- Rinse off THOROUGHLY with saline or conditioning solution. You may need to rinse and rub more than once to ensure the entire cleaner is removed.
- Rinse hands with water to remove any cleaner. Insufficient rinsing will mean that the contact lens may sting on insertion the next time.
- Place lenses in storage case ready for sterilisation and rewetting.
NB: Always place lenses in correct basket/storage case to avoid mixing up right and left lenses.
Disinfecting and Rewetting:
Lenses must be disinfected following cleaning. This prevents lens contamination and helps avoid eye infections.
Usually the same solution rewets the lens, allowing tears to flow smoothly across the surface of the lens.
- After cleaning, place lenses in the storage case with the recommended solution and leave overnight.
- It is usually recommended that this be rinsed off and fresh solution be added to the lens to rewet it prior to insertion.
NB: The solution should be replaced every day and the case should be cleaned once a week with warm soapy water and left to air-dry. Replace the case frequently as recommended by your practitioner. Follow the manufacturers recommendation.
Additional Cleaning Procedures:
Protein Remover Tablets/Liquid:
With regular wear and despite lens cleaning, protein and salts from the tears tend to adhere to the lens surface. These may be removed by regular use of enzyme tablets/liquid enzyme cleaners. Use these in accordance with your practitioner’s instructions.
NOTE: Clean lenses with your daily cleaner before and after using the tablets/liquid. Rinse thoroughly before re-using the lenses.
Your lenses may need to be polished and this may be done together with your annual contact lens examination.
Comfort Drops/Tear Lubricants:
These are available to help rewet lenses while they are being worn. They are applied directly to the eye while wearing lenses.
Important Things To Remember:
- Do not modify the recommended cleaning/disinfecting regimes without first consulting your practitioner.
- Short cuts result in ineffective cleaning and/or disinfection, which could lead to discomfort, damage to the lenses or infection of the eyes.
- Carry a list of the recommended cleaning solutions. Do not accept alternative without first talking to your practitioner. Some solutions may not be compatible and may lead to allergic reactions or discomfort.
- Avoid contamination by not touching the tips or nozzles of solution bottles and replace caps promptly after use.
- Store solutions in cool places.
- Always use fresh solutions and never use them after the expiry date. Change your solution after each wear. Change the solution if it has been longer than a week without wearing the lenses.
- Replace your lens case at least monthly as old cases have been shown to increase the risk of infection.
- While wearing lenses, do not use any eye drops other than those, which your practitioner may recommend. If in doubt, consult your practitioner.
- Make sure lenses do not get caught on the edge of storage cases.
- Use the correct hard lens case for storage.
Daily Wearing Time:
Build up your wearing time as specified below:
Day 1 ... hours Day 2 ... hours Day 3 … hours Day 4 ... hours
Day 5 ... hours Day 6 ... hours Day 7 … hours Day 8 ... hours
Normal Adaptation Symptoms You Could Expect:
While getting used to your lenses, you may notice:
- Variable vision due to increased initial tearing.
- Lens edge awareness for several days.
- Increase glare sensitivity – this can be relieved with sunglasses, but if it is excessive consult your practitioner.
- Initial discomfort with prolonged close work.
- Dryness in air-conditioned and smoky environments.
- Occasionally the lens may suction onto the conjunctiva (white part of the eye). To break this suction and release the lens, gently push the conjunctiva, close to the lens and relocate it as described. If the lens fails to release. See your eye care practitioner.
NB: Always talk to your practitioner about ANY symptoms you may experience.
Summary:
- Discontinue lens wear if you experience persistent discomfort, redness or blurred vision and consult your contact lens practitioner.
- Do not wear lenses while swimming (unless using swimming goggles, but at your own risk).
- Lenses should not be worn while sleeping, unless advised by your practitioner.
- Lenses must be stored wet in the recommended solution.
- Remove lenses before using medicated eye drops, undergoing surgery or anaesthesia.
- It is not advisable to wear lenses during periods of illness such as colds, influenza, etc.
Follow Up Appointments:
- Attend regular after care visits to ensure that there are no complications, many of which are preventable and treatable provided they are seen in time. Many of these problems may be observable to a trained eye even though they may be symptom free. By the time you become aware of them they may be advanced and more difficult to treat or resolve.
- Wear your lenses to your follow up appointments – having worn them for at least three hours prior to the appointment and bring spectacles with you.
- The whole emphasis of regular contact lens aftercare is aimed at prevention. As the old saying goes – prevention is better than cure! At these aftercare visits we can also make sure you are obtaining the best possible vision and eye health. Preventative care is essential in order to maintain the long-term ability to wear contact lenses.
Important!
If your eyes are sore, red, or there is any discharge, remove your lenses and contact your eye care practitioner.
After-hours contact Hospital acute eye clinic, Accident & Emergency clinic, your Optometrist or your Ophthalmologist.
