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If you prefer contact lenses to glasses, you’re not alone: Over 30 million people in the United States have opted to put their specs away. However, wearing contacts requires certain hygienic practices, many of which most contact lens wearers fail to follow, against the instructions of their optometrist. For your own safety and health, it’s essential to follow three important hygiene habits.

Contact Lenses: Crucial Hygiene Habits

1. Always Wash Your Hands

When you put in or take out your contact lenses, do you wash your hands first? Your hands encounter a lot of allergens, viruses, and bacteria throughout the day. If you’re not washing them before touching your lenses, you’re introducing microscopic bacteria into your eye and could wind up getting sick. 

2. Don’t Sleep in Your Contacts

Contact LensesContact lenses are manufactured out of a thin layer of plastic. While many users safely wear them for up to 12 hours, your lenses essentially cut off oxygen to your eyes. Your cornea, which does not have blood flowing to it, relies on oxygen and your natural tears to “breathe.” When you sleep in your contacts, you’re cutting off your body’s biological response to refreshing the cornea. Additionally, bacteria can accumulate under your contacts, leading to redness, irritation, and nasty infections. You’ll be back at your optometrist for treatment if you continue to sleep in your lenses.

3. Get Rid of That Old Case

When is the last time you changed your contact case? If you can’t remember, it’s time to toss it in the garbage! Though contact solution is sterile, the container is not. To prevent mold or mildew growth, eye doctors recommend air-drying the case. However, no matter what, over time, it becomes a hotbed for bacteria, which can lead to infections. Also, a little bonus hygiene tip: Don’t reuse your lens solution.

 

Contact lenses are a life-changing innovation. However, Digby Eye Associates encourages you to form hygienic habits to protect yourself from infections. With two locations in High Point and Greensboro, NC, they are the optometrist of choice for Guilford County residents. Set up your exam for contact lenses with their knowledgeable staff by calling (336) 230-1010 or visiting them online.

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