Whether you’re playing sports or driving to work, contact lenses can make daily life easier. However, since they require you to touch your cornea every day, they can also increase the risk of eye health issues. With the following three tips, you can protect your vision and stave off infections.

How to Look After Your Eye Care With Contacts

1. Always Take Them Out Before Going in Water

Take out your contact lenses before getting into water of any kind—especially when going swimming in a lake, ocean, or pool. That’s because the majority of water sources contain amoeba, which can work their way into your eyes.

If the lens is still covering your eye, it creates the perfect environment for the parasitic infection, Acanthamoeba keratitis, to form, which can lead to permanent vision loss.

2. Keep Your Hands Clean

Throughout the day, the skin on your hands will pick up a wide array of bacteria and germs. When removing or inserting contact lenses, it’s all too easy to pass these to your cornea.

This can result in everything from temporary irritation to stubborn styes. Therefore, wash your hands with warm water and antibacterial soap, then thoroughly dry them before touching your contact lenses.

3. Don’t Forget to Replace the Case

If you wear reusable contact lenses, you probably keep them in a plastic case on the bathroom counter. Even if you’re scrubbing out the germs with an optometrist-recommended disinfectant every night, you won’t be getting rid of 100% of the germs.

Over time, bacteria will adhere to the corners and surfaces of your lens case and could be transferred to your eye. To be safe, replace your contact lens case at least twice a year.

If you’re looking for more contact lens care tips, reach out to Matthew H. Lipparelli, O.D. today. This optometrist serves patients throughout the Elko, NV, area, and has been prescribing glasses and contact lenses since 1990. In addition to providing visual aids, he can also examine your eyes for diseases, infections, and conditions that may jeopardize your vision. To learn more about his skills, visit the website. Call (775) 753-5353 to set an appointment.