Whether you’ve just started wearing prescription eyewear or have had them for years, it’s good to know how to take care of them. After all, your stylish frames or colored lenses aren’t just a fashion statement—they’re what helps you see! By caring for contact lenses and glasses properly, you will be able to see worry-free while getting the most out of your investment.
Contact lenses sit directly on your eye, so it’s important that you give them the utmost care. This will include using multipurpose care solutions or hydrogen peroxide care solutions. You can avoid these concerns by switching to daily contact lenses. Prescription glasses require special care to protect the lenses and frames.
Caring for Contact Lenses
Taking proper care of your contact lenses is essential not only for maintaining good vision but also for protecting your overall eye health. Good care habits help extend the life of your lenses and reduce your risk of eye infections and other complications. The key to proper lens care is using the lens care system recommended by your eye doctor. This system is specifically chosen to match your lenses and suit your lifestyle and wearing habits.
There is a wide variety of lens care systems out there. However, proper contact lens care can be broken down into two different types:
- Multipurpose care solutions
- Hydrogen peroxide care solutions
Multipurpose Care Solutions
Multipurpose care solutions are an all-in-one cleaning system. This means that they can be used to clean, rinse, disinfect, and store your lenses. These contact lens solutions are popular for those who wear soft contact lenses.
Be sure to clean, disinfect, and store your contact lenses correctly. You can do this by:
- Washing and dry your hands before handling your contacts
- Rubbing and rinsing your lenses
- Storing the lenses in the proper container with fresh solution
- Pouring out old solution then rinsing and rubbing the container with new solution daily
- Drying the container with a new, clean tissue
- After each use, placing the clean case upside down on clean, new tissue without the lids
You should also replace your contact lens case every three months to avoid bacterial buildup. This will keep your monthly contact lenses clean, providing you with clear vision for the month before you replace the lenses.
Hydrogen Peroxide Care Solutions
Some patients have an allergic reaction when wearing contact lenses soaked in a multipurpose solution. This can lead them to believe they’re allergic to contacts. In these cases, an eye doctor may
decide that it’s a good idea to prescribe a hydrogen peroxide care solution. These lens-cleaning solutions require a special case
included with the solution when you buy it. The case is designed to react to the hydrogen peroxide, turning it into a harmless saline solution. You will need to use the case whenever you take out your lenses to ensure they are properly cleaned.
Failure to do so can cause pain and irritation when wearing your contact lenses. In some cases, eye drops may be enough to restore comfort. However, more severe cases may require antibiotics.
Make sure your lenses get as clean as possible using hydrogen peroxide care solutions by:
- Following the label instructions carefully when cleaning
- Only using fresh solution when cleaning your lenses
- Letting the lenses soak for the proper amount of time (4 – 6) hours
- Rinsing your lenses with saline solutions after cleaning but before putting them back in
Other care tips
Don’t let your contacts come into contact with tap water or any other kind of water. Your doctor-recommended solution is the only liquid you should use to clean and store your lenses. This includes avoiding wearing lenses while swimming or in the shower.
Contacts are often designed to be worn for a month and then replaced. While you will have to clean them every day, they will still collect debris that can irritate your eyes. You will need to replace them at regular intervals to protect the comfort and safety of your eyes.
Daily contact lenses are the perfect alternative to extended-wear lenses. Unlike reusable contacts, you throw daily disposable lenses away after every night and open a fresh pair every morning. This ensures that you don’t have to deal with caked-on allergens or worry about infections from forgetting to clean them every night.
Caring for Eyeglasses
If you wear prescription glasses, then you know how important it is to take care of them. They can be expensive, and plastic lenses can be easily scratched, making it harder to see through them. Even if you’ve been wearing glasses for years, it’s still a good idea to refresh yourself on how to care for them properly. This will protect your investment as well as your ability to see.
How to Care for Your Prescription Glasses
Proper lens care is essential if you want your glasses to last a long time. To protect your lenses from unnecessary and accidental damage, make sure to:
- Clean them regularly with warm water and a drop of dish soap
- Alternatively, use a premade cleaner specifically for cleaning your lenses
- Dry them with a lint-free towel or microfiber cloth
- Wash your cleaning cloth regularly based on the manufacturer’s instructions
- Keep your glasses in a hard-shell case when you’re not wearing them
- Always lay your glasses down with the lenses facing upward
- Use both hands when putting glasses on or taking them off
- Only wear them on your nose and not on the top of your head
Not wearing your glasses correctly can cause the frames to become misaligned. When this occurs, it can actually make them less effective, even if they’re perfectly clean. If your frames have become misaligned, bring them with you to your next appointment, and our optical team can readjust them for you.
What to Avoid When Caring for Your Prescription Glasses
It’s easy to make mistakes with your glasses, even if you’ve worn them for years. To get the most out of your pair, be sure to avoid:
- Wiping the lenses when they’re dry, which can cause scratches
- Cleaning with materials that can have rough surfaces such as paper napkins or tissue paper
- Cleaning with ammonia, vinegar, or other substance that can remove protective coatings
- Using saliva to clean your lenses
- Carrying them in a crowded bag or purse without a proper case
- Placing them near a sink or vanity where they can get cosmetics on them
- Leaving them in a hot car
It’s important to take the best care possible of your contacts since they rest directly on your eyes. This includes using multipurpose or hydrogen peroxide care solutions. These steps can be avoided with daily contact lenses. For glasses, it’s important to protect your lenses and frames from damage so you can see clearly.
Hardin Valley Eyecare & Optical has been serving Knoxville since 2009. Located at 10904 Spring Bluff Way, you can schedule an appointment online or give us a call at (865) 888-0892.
*Editor’s Note: This blog has been updated for clarity and new information
