Although contact lenses are worn by people every day, they still require proper care and maintenance.  Your local ophthalmologist, Dr. Wong of Hawaii Vision Clinic in Aiea and Honolulu, would like to share some helpful maintenance points to follow so you can keep your contact lenses clean and effective, and eliminate your chance of developing an eye infection.

Here are the six tips for maintaining your contact lenses:

• Wash Hands: Before you handle your contact lenses, it is important to clean your hands thoroughly so no dirt or dust is trapped in the lenses.
• Avoid Water: Remove contact lenses before swimming or bathing. Do not rinse or store contact lenses in water, whether it’s tap or sterile. Parasites and organisms that can cause severe eye infections live in tap water.

• Replace Cases: Get new contact lens cases at least once every three months. This is helpful in avoiding contamination and infection.
• Follow A Schedule: Your eye care professional will prescribe a contact lens replacement schedule for you to follow. Keep to this schedule to avoid overuse and infections.
• Use New Solution: Do not try to re-use an old solution. It may not be sterile and could lead to an eye infection.
• Remove Contact Lenses Before Bed: Do not sleep in your contact lenses. With your eyes closed, there is less exposure to air and much lower amount of oxygen to your eyes.

Follow these tips to practice proper contact lens care. If  you are getting frustrated with conatct lenses and glasses, studies have shown that the incidence of permanent vision loss from contact lens complications is actually higher than that of laser vision correction surgery like LASIK! Visit Dr. Wong and his team at Hawaii Vision Clinic online to learn about their services. They offer advanced surgical techniques at their in-house LASIK center - Pan Pacific Laser.  You can also call them at (808) 594-9194 if you'd like to schedule an appointment.