Comprehensive Eye and Vision Exam
Keratoconus lenses: Keratoconus is a progressive disease that involves the thinning and steepening or "bulging" of some, but not all, of the cornea. The area affected is usually at or near the center of the cornea.
Other: Gas Permeable contact lenses
Instructions for the Care and Handling of Disposable Contact Lenses
- Wash Hands – Before handling your lenses, wash hands, rinse well, and dry with a lint free towel. Fingernails should be short and smooth to avoid damaging the lenses or scratching your eye.
- Inspection – Remove the lens from its package and place on your forefinger to inspect it and make sure it is right side out
- Inverted Lens – If the lens is in the correct position, the edges will appear almost straight up. When inverted, the lens edges will flare out slightly. This is often difficult to determine until you have had a little practice.
- Insertion – Make sure your fingers are clean and dry. (Dry fingers facilitate the handling since soft contact lenses tend to stick to wet fingers.)
- Place the right lens on the tip of your index or middle finger of your dominant hand.
- Using the middle finger of your other hand, pull and hold your upper lid firmly open so you cannot blink.
- Pull down your lower eyelid, using the middle finger of your inserting hand.
- Look up and place the lens gently on the lower white part of your eye, or look directly at the lens and place the lens directly on the cornea.
- Slowly release your eyelid and close your eye for a moment.
- Blink several times to center the lens on your eye.
- Insert left lens following the same procedure.
- Rinse and dry your lens case after lenses are inserted.
Allow lens case to remain open throughout the day.
If you choose to carry a case with solution in it for
emergency use, clean it and change the solution daily.
- Eye drops – One or two drops of lens lubricant are recommended if your lenses feel dry or if blurry vision occur while wearing. Eye drops may also be helpful prior to removal if your lenses feel dry or sticky.
- Removal –Wash and dry your hands.
- Looking up, pull down your lower eyelid with the middle finger of your inserting hand. The use of a rewetting drop may be helpful in freeing the lens from the cornea for removal.
- Use your index finger to pull the lens down.
- Slide the lens down to the lower white part of your eye.
- Gently squeeze the lens between your thumb and index finger and remove it from your eye.
- Follow the lens care procedures recommended by your eye care professional.
- Remove left lens following the same procedure.
- Disposal – Disposable contact lenses are thrown away after the time period that has been determined by your doctor.
Recommendations and Prevention Tips for Your Contact Lenses
- Always wash your hands with fragrance-free, lotion-free hand soap rinse and dry.
- You should rub and rinse, even if the product is labeled “No Rub.” Digital cleaning (rubbing the lens with your finger in your palm) may help remove dirt and debris and prepare the lens surfaces for disinfection.
- Do not re-use old solution or “top-off” the liquid in the lens storage case. Empty the storage case daily and always use fresh solution just prior to soaking.
- Every day, mechanically scrub (using a clean washcloth or new toothbrush) the inside and outside of the lens case with sterile contact lens disinfecting solution.
- Do not use lens care products beyond their expiration dates.
- Do not allow the tip of the solution bottle to come in contact with any surface. Keep the bottle tightly closed when not in use.
- Do not transfer contact lens solution into smaller travel-size containers.
- Avoid using tap water to wash or store lens cases. Note: water must be greater or equal to 70 degrees C (158 degrees F) to kill Acanthamoeba cysts. Water boils at 100 degrees C (212 degrees F), so boiling a lens case is effective in sterilization. Running through the dishwasher may not be hot enough and may allow contamination from other debris.
- Microwave dry contact lens cases for three minutes to sterilize lens cases.
- Air-dry your contact lens case when not in use. After rinsing with sterile contact lens solution, the caps should remain off and the case covered with a clean towel.
- Replace the lens case after a maximum of three months, but preferably monthly.
- Do not use cracked or damaged lens storage cases.
- Do not use water to rinse or store soft contact lenses.
- Do not put lenses in your mouth.
- Do not use saline solution or rewetting drops in an attempt to disinfect lenses. Neither is capable of disinfecting contact lenses.
- Remove contact lenses before swimming or entering a hot tub.
- Exposure to water – while wearing contact lenses and rinsing lens cases with water may increase the risk of Acanthamoeba infection.
- If lenses happen to be worn while swimming, insert a wetting drop to re-hydrate the lens and remove as soon as possible. If lenses must be worn, wear watertight goggles and remove immediately after swimming. Absolutely no sleeping in lenses after swimming.
- Wear and replace contact lenses according to the schedule prescribed by your doctor.
- Do not change lens care products without first checking with your doctor.
- Store spare rigid (GP) lenses dry for long-term storage. Clean and disinfect new or dry-stored GP lenses for at least four hours prior to lens wear.
- Do not store soft contact lenses in the storage case for an extended period of time. Store spare soft contact lenses in their original unopened packaging.
- Do not sleep in your contact lenses unless specifically approved to do so by your doctor.
Contact Lens Solutions – Brand names vs. Generics
• Brand names allow you to reap the benefits of the latest technological advances in lens care, such as better cleaning and disinfection, less toxicity and increased comfort
• Generics are most often older formulations of a company’s premium brand
• Brand names are specifically formulated for your new contact lenses
• One bottle of generic solution at the store may not have the same chemical combination as the bottle beside it, so you do not know what combination you are getting
• Brand name solutions have chemicals that help retain moisture and conditions your contact lenses to improve feelings of dryness
• Most generics were invented before your contact lenses, so they do not incorporate the newest technology which are available in brand names
• You are at higher risk for contact lens-induced eye complications when using generics