Contact lenses are an incredibly safe form of corrective eyewear — as long as you take care of them. If you do not practice good hygiene habits regarding your lenses, infections and other complications can arise. Below, the knowledgeable eye doctors from Wing Eyecare in Cincinnati, OH, shares three tips for taking care of your contact lenses and maintaining your overall eye health.

Take Your Contacts Out Before Bed

Your eyes need a steady flow of oxygen in order to prevent infection, and when you wear contacts, it reduces the amount of oxygen they receive. Closing your eyes and falling asleep while wearing contacts reduces the oxygen supply even further — if you have done before, you probably remember waking up with dry, red, and itchy eyes as a result.

Use Fresh Solution Every Time

You may think you’re being thrifty by reusing the lens solution left in your contacts case, but doing so can lead to a nasty infection. Used solution loses its ability to disinfect your lenses effectively, so make sure you replace the solution in your case every night before bed. You should also make it a point to replace the actual case every two to three months.

Do Not Swim While Wearing Contacts

Rivers, lakes, seawater, and even swimming pools all contain an organism that causes eye infections when it gets into your contact lenses. Avoid wearing contacts when swimming, and do not open your eyes underwater unless you are wearing goggles. If you swim a lot, ask your eye doctor about purchasing prescription swim goggles for the pool or lake.

In addition to the above tips, you should visit your eye doctor regularly if you wear contact lenses. If you are overdue for an eye exam, turn to Wing Eyecare, with offices throughout Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Visit their website to find the location nearest you, and call (888) 274-9464 to make an appointment today. You can also find the eye care team on Facebook.