Did you forget to take out your contacts again? When was the last time you swapped over to a fresh set? Keeping track of change-over dates can be tricky when life happens and time gets away, but jotting down the last time you opened a new box may save your peepers from uncomfortable irritation and potential infection. But how often should you change contact lenses? The final answer is dependent on the type of lens your eye expert has prescribed, but there are a few general guidelines you can follow when it comes to changing contact lenses if you’re not sure in the meantime.
Disposable Lenses
Daily Contact Lenses
As the name suggests, daily disposables are supposed to be discarded after one use. You won’t need a case or cleaning solution for these – pop the lenses straight in the bin after they come out. Some people prefer daily disposable contact lenses, there’s no care involved and eye health remains optimum, as lenses don’t have a chance to degrade over time with repeated use.
Fortnightly Contact Lenses
Ideally, weekly contacts should not be worn any longer than fourteen days, although some brands add an extra week. Remove your contacts every night, clean them properly, and ensure your storage case contains fresh solution to treat each contact – dirty contacts lead to sore, irritated eyes.
Monthly Contact Lenses
Perfect for waste-conscious people, these contacts last four weeks of daily wear. Don’t forget to take care of them, they have to last longer than either the fortnightly or single use varieties – thorough daily treatment and cleaning is a must!
Types of Lenses
RGP Lenses
Although rigid gas-permeable lenses take a little getting used to (they’re a little bit below soft disposable lenses on the comfort meter), they’re ideal for people relying on contacts from morning until night, day after day. Resilient and long-lasting, many of our customers benefit from sharper vision after a custom contact lens fitting – not every lens is designed to fit your eye. Speak to our eye experts today for more information!
The Secret to a Fast, Effective Lens Change…
Clean hands. It doesn’t matter which lens type you end up putting in your eyes, every single one will benefit from freshly washed hands. Lotions, perfumes, dirt, grime and oil can all negatively impact your lenses, leading to blurred vision, itchy eyes or even mild irritation. We recommend keeping your nails short with round, smooth edges – a stray fingernail can do some serious damage to both your lenses and your eyes during application and removal if care isn’t taken!
What if Your Technique Suffers from Uncertainty?
Inserting and removing your contact lenses is like any skill – it takes time, practice and the right technique from day one to ensure you don’t end up throwing in the towel and leaving them unused. But what can you do, short of Googling or YouTube? Custom Eyecare sit down with our patients and make sure they understand the how, why and care factors of contact lenses before they leave. Let one of our eye experts know you’re having trouble with your lenses and we’ll soon clear up any questions with real training.
Remember, online advice cannot compete with the insight of an eye health expert. If you have a question about your prescription or you’re concerned your contacts aren’t lasting the distance, don’t stop short of getting in touch with Custom Eye Care. We’re here to make sure your eyes stay healthy so you can stay happy.
