Take hard lenses out of your eyes safely

When you wear hard contact lenses, removing them can be challenging. This prevents the lens from reappearing if your eyes are too dry. In that case, use eye drops before attempting to remove the contacts.

You should clean and disinfect every contact lens you remove from your eye before placing it in its storage case. There are many different cleaning systems. The choice depends on the type of lens you use, if you have allergies, or if your eyes are prone to protein deposits. Take extra care to clean and store your lenses properly to prevent dangerous eye infections.

This is what you need to stick to:
• Follow the schedule your eye doctor gives you for wearing and replacing your lenses. Do not wear daily wear lenses while sleeping.
• Remove contact lenses before showering, using a hot tub, swimming, or doing anything where water gets in your eyes.
• Before touching your contact lenses, wash your hands with soap and water and dry them with a lint-free towel.
• Never put contact lenses in your mouth to wet them. Saliva (spit) is not a sterile solution.
• Do not rinse your contact lenses in water. Never use a homemade saline solution either.
• Do not use saline solution or rewetting drops to disinfect your lenses. They are not disinfectants.
• Follow your doctor's instructions and the manufacturer of your lens cleaning solution for cleaning and storing your lenses.
• Regardless of the type of lens cleaning solution you buy, use a "rub and rinse" cleaning method. Rub your contact lenses with clean fingers, then rinse them with the solution before soaking them. Use this method even if the solution you use is a "no-rub" type.
• Use a fresh solution each time you clean and disinfect your contact lenses. Never reuse or refill with the old solution. Do not pour the contact lens solution into another bottle. The solution will no longer be sterile.
• Do not allow the tip of the solution bottle to touch any surface. Keep the bottle tightly closed when not in use.
• Rinse your contact lens case with sterile contact lens solution (not tap water). Then leave the empty case open to air dry.
• Contact lenses can warp over time, and your cornea can change shape. To ensure your lenses fit properly and your prescription is right for you, consult your ophthalmologist regularly.