How Can I Extend the Life of My Contact Lenses?

Contact lenses are a convenient treatment for vision correction that free the wearer from the constraints of traditional eyeglasses. Though extending the life of contact lenses past their prescribed lifespan is not recommended, proper care and cleaning habits keeps them comfortable for longer.

Introduction

• Contact lenses come in wide varieties, specially designed for people with nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism and more. Some contacts are designed to be slept in, while others are not. They come in hard and soft plastic, and even with bifocals. With that in mind, before starting any care regimen, it is absolutely crucial to understand the needs and restrictions that come with any pair of contact lenses---after all, a pair of two-week soft lenses may react differently to certain treatments than a pair of bifocal hard lenses.

Care

• Despite the different methods of care required for various types of lenses, there are certain guidelines that hold true for any type of contact lens---and following these guidelines consistently extends their life and maintains their comfort. Everything you do to care for your lenses has the same goal: keeping them clean. With that in mind, always wash your hands with soap and hot water before putting in or removing your contacts---this minimizes the amount of bacteria and oils directly contacting your lenses. Another crucial yet easy-to-miss step is disinfecting your contact lens case, either with contact fluid or hot water. Like scrubbing out your bathtub, this ensures that your case is clean of all that may have been left behind---just remember to air dry the case to avoid the buildup of any bacteria. Once your hands and case are clean, carefully remove your contacts one at a time. Rinse each one in the palm of your hand to sterilize it using contact solution---never use tap water, which can carry harmful bacteria. After rinsing, immerse your contacts in solution in their case and close it tight. Be sure to check the instructions for your contact solution---different kinds require different amounts of time to effectively clean your lenses. When you're ready to wear your lenses again, remember to wash your hands, and rinse your lenses off with solution before putting them in.
  Unless your lenses are specially formulated for nighttime wear, avoid sleeping in them---according to Lens Contact UK, sleeping in your lenses decreases the flow of oxygen to your contacts, which compromises their natural moisture and decreases their lifespan.

Risks

• Most importantly, when extending the life of your contact lenses, remember to use careful judgment. If your eyes become irritated, red or painfully dry, remove your contacts and begin using a new pair---though you can extend their life with proper care, most contact lenses simply aren't designed to be worn past the prescribed amount of time. Ignoring these warning signs can lead to serious eye infections and other complications.