When compared to wearing eyeglasses, using contact lenses provides some people with better vision and helps them feel more self-assured and able to be physically active. Since the lenses make direct contact with the eyeballs, first-time users may need to make adjustments as they transition from wearing glasses. Below, learn the best practices for wearing contact lenses. 

How to Use Your Contact Lenses

1. Develop Strong Hygiene Behaviors

Wash and rinse your hands thoroughly before handling your lenses, so you avoid transferring germs or specks of dirt to them. Foreign particles on the lenses can damage their surfaces and irritate your eyes. Never wet the lenses with saliva to moisten them. If you need to moisten them, use a contact lens solution. When you are not wearing the lenses, keep them in their case in the solution your eye doctor recommends so that they stay moist and sanitized.

2. Be Consistent

One lens may have a different prescription from the other, and if you put the left one in the right eye, your vision won’t be corrected properly. To avoid confusion, decide whether you want to put on the left or right lens first, and follow that pattern consistently. Choosing a contact lens case that has two colors or is marked R and L for the right and left lenses can make it easier to keep track when you put them on or store them.

3. Follow the Wear Schedules

Your contact lenses may be a daily disposable type or might need replacement weekly or monthly. Follow whatever schedule your eye doctor recommends for your particular lenses so that you reduce the risk of eye irritation and infection. If your eyes are tired or red, try giving them a break from the contacts and wear your eyeglasses.

When you have questions about contact lenses, see Dr. Ron Sealock in Dothan, AL. Dr. Sealock offers iWellness scans to check for signs of glaucoma and macular degeneration and helps patients decide what corrective lenses are right for them. By offering excellent customer service and high-quality care, this skilled and compassionate eye doctor has a high rate of customer satisfaction. To schedule an appointment, call (334) 793-9607 today or send a message online.