You Are Using Your Specs/Contacts Right? Here Are 5 Things You Should Know

Wearing eyeglasses can get cumbersome and a bit challenging in certain situations. Imagine running or playing football while wearing them – they just keep on falling down your nose. Arguably, glasses are bulky, annoying and need constant care.

On the other hand, if you are wearing contact lenses daily, you would know that lenses make your life a lot easier. You don’t need to go looking around where you kept your glasses, you don’t need to keep pushing your glasses up the bridge of your nose, and you always look natural as there are no bulky eyeglasses perched on your face. 

So, switching to contact lenses is definitely a convenient option. Whether you are well-accustomed to wearing contact lenses or have recently started wearing contact lenses, there are some things you should know about.

1. Water harms your contact lenses more than you think

Rinsing any and all types of contact lenseswith anything except for the prescribed lens care solution is strictly prohibited. Whether it is tap water, bottled water, or saliva, never use any other form of liquid to clean your contact lenses except the lens solution. Cleaning your lenses with water, or anything other a lens solution can lead to deposition of impurities and germs on your contact lenses, which in turn, puts you at risk of developing eye infections. For the same reason, you should avoid swimming while wearing contact lenses.

2. Always dispose of your daily/ monthly disposable contact lenses as per schedule

Don’t fall into the habit of extending the prescribed wear duration of your daily or monthly disposable contact lenses to few more days. You must never use your contact lenses longer than you are supposed to. It doesn’t matter if you don’t wear your contact lenses often. 

Daily and monthly disposable contact lenses are designed and built for performing optimally for a specific period. After that, the lenses gradually start to lose their shape and water content as they dry up, and bacterial build up starts to form. Wearing contact lenses beyond their prescribed dates also can expose you to risk eye infections which may or may not turn critical. So, diligently follow the wear and maintenance/replacement schedule.   

3. Start Wearing Contact Lenses That Offer High Breathability

In today’s digital day and age, more than 40 million people in India use digital devices for extended periods, and nearly 80% of the population faces discomfort because of Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). 

Some common symptoms of CVS are eye strain, headaches, blurring of vision, and dryness of eyes. Thankfully, there are visual aids such as specially designed contact lenses to tackle dryness issues.These lenses offer higher breathability and moisture retention to keep your eyes healthy. Apart from this, you can make workstation adjustments, such as: 

• Try blinking voluntarily (helps maintain eye moisture) 
• Make changes to the brightness of your digital devices 
• Try taking small breaks once in a while from the screen 

Additionally, consult with your optometrist and buy contact lenses specially designed for people with high digital usage from reputable brands like Bausch+Lomb that offers products such as Bausch+Lomb Ultra Contact Lenses which is specially designed to prevent lens related dryness. The Ultra lenses are designed with MoistureSeal technology that helps retain almost 95% of their moisture and offer high breathability so that you can wear your contact lenses for nearly 16 hours without any discomfort. Such specially designed contact lenses for dry eyes helps prevent lens dehydration and offers you comfort and clear vision.

4. You Must Never Sleep While Wearing Your Contact Lenses

As a rule of thumb, wearing contact lenses to bed is a strict no. Sleeping while wearing contact lenses can increase the risk of eye infections . Whether you wear extended wear contact lenses, or not, make sure that you remove your contact lenses and store them properly in a lens care multipurpose solution before you go to sleep. If you like wearing contact lenses and enjoy the benefits it gives you, avert form making such a mistake to avoid any risks.

5. Regularly Get Your Eyes Examined from An Optometrist

Contact lenses are basically visual-aid devices that require to be accurately prescribed by an eye care practitioner. Whether you want to switch to contact lenses or want to change the colour of your eye, you must first consult with an eye care specialist to get your eyes thoroughly examined to ensure its safe for you to start wearing contact lenses. Additionally, if you have eye power, and use prescribed contact lenses, it helps you stay up to date, which only betters your eye health. 

Switching to contact lenses from glasses may seem intimidating. However, the transition may only take a few days before you experience and enjoy the benefits of contact lenses. And if you have been wearing contact lenses for a while, you must know that a little care offers you so much more in terms of clear, precise vision, and comfort. Always get in touch with an optometrist before you start wearing contact lenses or make a change to your prescribed lens wear and care schedule. 

Finally, while buying your contact lenses, make sure that you do so from trusted brands like Bausch+Lomb that offer various different types of contact lenses to treat different conditions, apart from coloured contact lenses. With a bit of care and the right kind of contact lenses, you can start your journey towards a clearer vision. Explore now!

Sources: 
https://www.aoa.org
https://www.aoa.org/covid-19-patient-resources
http://www.jmgims.co.in
Data on file Bausch & Lomb Incorporated
https://www.aao.org/eye-health
https://www.aoa.org/patients-and-public