Recommendations for Contact Lens Wearers from the American Optometric Association
- Always wash your hands before handling contact lenses.
- Carefully and regularly clean contact lenses, as directed by your optometrist. Rub the contact lenses with fingers and rinse thoroughly before soaking lenses overnight in sufficient contact lens solution to completely cover the lens.
- Store lenses in the proper lens storage case and replace the case at a minimum of every three months. Clean the case after each use, and keep it open and dry between cleanings.
- Use only products recommended by your optometrist to clean and disinfect your lenses. Saline solution and rewetting drops are not designed to disinfect lenses.
- Only fresh solution should be used to clean and store contact lenses. Never re-use old solution. Contact lens solution must be changed according to the manufacturer’s recommendations, even if the lenses are not used daily.
- Always follow the recommended contact lens replacement schedule prescribed by your optometrist.
- Remove contact lenses before swimming or entering a hot tub.
- See your optometrist for your regularly scheduled contact lens and eye examination.
- DO NOT use cream soaps. They can leave a film on your hands that can transfer to the lenses.
- DO NOT put contact lenses in your mouth or moisten them with saliva, which is full of bacteria and a potential source of infection.
- DO NOT use tap water to wash or store contact lenses or lens cases.
- DO NOT use products not recommended by your optometrist to clean and disinfect your lenses. Saline solution and re-wetting drops are not designed to disinfect lenses.
