Caring for Contacts

Caring for your contacts is caring for your eyes.

After your initial contact lens fitting, TDC Eye care provides you with three months of follow-up care. See the following list for some quick tips on how to best care for your contacts, and your eyes.

• ALWAYS wash your hands with soap and water.
• DO NOT use saliva, tap water, or anything other than recommended contact lens solution to clean your contact lenses.
• DO NOT wear contact lenses overnight unless given approval by your doctor.
• DO NOT wear your contact lenses beyond the replacement schedule recommended by your doctor.
• DO NOT wear your contact lenses while bathing, showering, or engaging in water activities. This will put you at risk for a sight-threatening infection. Use water tight goggles if going underwater with contact lenses, then dispose of your lenses after each use.
• DO NOT instill prescription eye drops while wearing contact lenses.
• ALWAYS examine your contact lenses before putting them in your eyes. Don’t wear contact lenses if they are uncomfortable of appear ripped or damaged. If the lens has dirt, an eyelash or foreign body on it, thoroughly clean, rinse and disinfect the lens.
• If your contact lenses feel uncomfortably dry, either take them out and put on your back up glasses or instill contact lens re-wetting drops. Recommended drops: Blink Contacts.
• ALWAYS have a back-up pair of glasses updated.
• In the event of a suspected eye infection, remove your contact lenses, use back-up glasses and call your doctor. Symptoms of an eye infection include a reddish or pinkish coloration of the eye, an irritating dry, gritty or foreign body sensation, pain, blurring of vision or discharge.
• Minimize contact lens wear when you are sick or during allergy flare-ups.
• Regardless of which cleaning/disinfecting solution you use clean lenses with a rub and rinse method. This step should be done immediately upon lens removal rather than waiting until the morning.
• Only fresh solution should be used to clean and store contact lenses. Never re-use old solution. Change your lens solution everyday even if the lenses are not used daily.
• Wash contact lens case with soap and water or put on the top rack of the dishwasher at least weekly. Replace contact lens cases regularly.
• Contact lens prescriptions are valid for one year. A contact lens prescription may be held from release if the patient is non-compliant with the wearing schedule or proper lens care.

Resources: 

Insertion and Removal instruction of soft lenses

Insertion and Removal instruction of Rigid Gas Permeable lenses

Proper Lens Replacement