How to choose contact lenses and how to care for them? - beginner's guide
Content
Contact lenses are a great alternative to glasses. Usually they are chosen by people who, for various reasons, do not want or cannot wear glasses - people involved in sports, leading an active lifestyle, or simply not liking glasses because of the inconvenience. Lately, the need to wear masks can make many of us reach for our lenses - fogged glasses are a serious problem that, by limiting vision, can affect not only our comfort, but also safety, for example, when crossing the road. How to choose the right contact lenses? How to take care of them? Why is it necessary to use special lens solutions? You will find the answers to these questions in our guide.
Dr. N. Pharm. Maria Kaspshak
Lenses or contact lenses?
What are contact lenses, popularly known as "lenses"? In the past, hard contact lenses were more common, better suited to the name "glass", but they are hardly used nowadays. So the name "contact lenses" is a bit anachronistic, because modern soft contact lenses have nothing to do with glasses or even with plastic. These are soft, hydrated silicone hydrogel pads that are flexible and adapt to the shape of the eye. There is no concern that they will damage the cornea, although incorrect fitting or wearing of contact lenses can lead to eye irritation or inflammation. It is even more important to know how to properly put on, take off and clean contact lenses.
Before choosing the right lenses, you need to think about how often and for how long you want to wear them? Will you only use them occasionally, such as during workouts, parties, trips? Do you want to use them on a regular basis? Do you prefer plain, colorless lenses or colored lenses that change your vision? Note - Whether you are going to wear lenses all the time or just occasionally, you should always have at least one pair of glasses on hand. There are times when, for whatever reason, you can't put on lenses, and then glasses are the only way to see well.
Why do I need contact lenses and how often will I wear them?
The answer to this question depends on the choice of the correct type of lenses. Based on it, you can consider the appropriate type of lenses - one-day, two-week, monthly or even quarterly, because currently the most popular category by which lens types are distinguished is the time of their use. Daily lenses, as the name suggests, can only be worn for one day and then thrown away. They do not require any care liquids. Bi-weekly, monthly, or quarterly lenses can be used for the specified amount of time each day. At night, they should be removed, cleaned and placed in a special lens fluid. If you intend to wear contact lenses occasionally but wear glasses all the time, opt for disposable lenses. They are sold in packs of 30 pieces or multiples of thirty (eg 90, 180, 270 pieces). If you want to wear contact lenses every day, it's more economical to wear lenses every other week, month, or quarter. They are available in smaller packs of two, three or six. The longer you use your lenses, the more attention you need to pay attention to cleaning and disinfecting them, as protein deposits build up on the lenses and germs can multiply.
The selection of contact lenses is mandatory at the ophthalmologist or optician
When choosing one-day or long-term lenses, pay attention to the following parameters of the lenses: the size and type of the visual defect that they correct (the number of diopters in plus or minus, toric lenses for astigmatists) the diameter and curvature of the given lens. The diameter and curvature determine the shape and size of the eyeball to which the lens fits. Lens diameter ranges from 12 to 17 mm (most often about 14 mm), curvature from 8,3 to 9,5 (most often 8,6). The lower the curvature value, the "smaller" or "cool" eye the lens will fit.
Of course, due to the softness of the hydrogel, most lenses are suitable for different eye shapes. However, choosing a lens that is too small can result in pressure on the eyeball, and a lens that is too loose can “float” over the eye and shift when worn. This often leads to eye irritation, and prolonged wear of poorly fitting lenses can lead to serious inflammation of the eye. Therefore, in order to correctly select the parameters of the lenses, an ophthalmologist or optometrist must select them.
Many optical shops, large and small, offer lens fitting services, usually consisting of two visits a few days apart. The cost of such a service includes an assessment of the eye defect, measurement of the parameters of the eye, a set of trial lenses and instructions for putting them on, taking them off and caring for them. During your first visit, a specialist will use a special machine to assess whether the lenses fit your eye well, whether they are too big or too small, and teach you how to put on and take off the lenses. At your next visit in a few days, you will let us know if you are comfortable with the test lenses and see well. If so, then they were chosen well and this particular model suits you best. Before trying a different lens model, you should also visit an ophthalmologist or optomist to evaluate if they are right for you.
Daily contact lens care
The eyes are very sensitive to irritation and infection, so you need to take care of the cleanliness of your contact lenses. Eye infections and conjunctivitis are very unpleasant and often difficult to treat, and in extreme advanced cases can lead to blindness. So how do you take care of your contact lenses so you don't get infected? First of all, before each touching the lenses, you should thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water, rinse thoroughly and dry with a clean towel - preferably a disposable one. Only after that you can start any actions with the lenses. There are no problems with daily problems - every day we take out fresh sterile steam from the package, and throw it into the trash in the evening. Bi-weekly, monthly and quarterly lenses must be washed and disinfected every day with a special liquid using a lens case. The most popular multifunctional liquids are used for rinsing, cleaning, disinfecting and storing lenses. Sometimes they also contain substances that additionally moisturize and soothe the eyes, and the kit often includes a container for storing lenses. Here are the steps to take to remove your lenses at night and put them back on in the morning:
- wash and dry your hands,
- prepare the box and fill it with fresh liquid,
- remove the lens (we always start with the same one, for example, the left one. Thanks to this, we will not make a mistake, which is important when we have different vision defects in both eyes) and put it on the palm of your hand,
- apply a few drops of liquid and rub the lens on your hand with your finger for a few seconds,
- rinse the lens thoroughly with liquid and place it in a container,
- repeat the steps with the second lens,
- close the container and leave liquid lenses overnight,
- remove the lenses in the morning, you can additionally rinse them with liquid from the bottle,
- put on lenses - always in the same order,
- Rinse the container with the lens solution and let it dry, preferably upside down on a clean tissue.
Note - You should always use specialized liquids for the care and disinfection of lenses. Regular saline solution is not enough - you need a drug that will reduce the growth of bacteria and protozoa on the lenses. Each time use a new dose of liquid - only then it will be effective!
Why should I remove lenses at night?
Many may wonder why it is so important to remove lenses at night? What happens if I sleep with contact lenses on? If this happens once - most likely, nothing will happen, except for discomfort and a feeling of “dry eyes” when waking up. However, frequent sleep in lenses leads to the fact that the surface of the eye is poorly saturated with oxygen and dries up (the lenses constantly absorb moisture, and tear production is lower at night than during the day). Yes, there are lenses on the market for permanent wear - day and night, they have very good oxygen permeability. However, even in their case, it is worth taking them off from time to time to disinfect and give your eyes a rest.
For daily lenses, this is absolutely essential. The cornea of the eye is poorly vascularized and receives oxygen directly from the air. Prolonged corneal hypoxia can lead to the formation of new blood vessels in the cornea as the body tries to supply the eye with the right amount of oxygen - blood - at all costs. Then we will be constantly with "bloodshot" eyes, and this, probably, no one wants.
Practical advice for contact lens wearers
- Remember that the first attempts to insert lenses can be painful and your eyes will water. However, after several attempts, the eyes will get used to it, and properly selected contact lenses are invisible in everyday life. If symptoms persist, be sure to consult an ophthalmologist to find out the cause of the condition.
- Always keep moisturizing eye drops on hand, preferably without preservatives, based on sodium hyaluronate. Lenses absorb some of the moisture from the eyes, so it's good to keep your eyes moisturized.
- Write the date of first opening on the lens solution. Use the liquid for the time recommended by the manufacturer, usually 2-6 months.
- Wash and steam your lens case regularly (if it is made of a material that is resistant to boiling water) and rinse it every day with fresh lens solution. If you are particularly concerned about hygiene, you can spray your lens case with 95% food grade alcohol after rinsing. It will completely evaporate, so you don’t have to worry about harmful residues, and until then it will kill bacteria and other germs. Just remember to use the container only when it's completely dry to avoid getting alcohol in your eyes. Never use other types of alcohol (such as salicylic or contaminated alcohol).
- Have several lens cases at home. It is not known when you will lose or damage one of them.
- To make handling a small soft lens easier, try special lens tweezers with silicone tips.
Finally, a very important thing. For any eye problems, especially if they worsen over time, stop using lenses immediately and consult an ophthalmologist! Inflammation and eye infections are always serious, and if ignored, they can have irreversible consequences. Take care of your eyes!
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