Contact lenses are sensitive pieces of eyewear--they are made of thin pieces of silicone and need to remain hydrated in order to be used in the future. While most contact lenses do have an expiration date, they can be purchased in bulk by optometrists and stored for when they are needed. In most situations, it is best to leave the contacts in the packaging they came in, which is usually specially sealed in a liquid solution that will best maintain the contacts. But if you are storing away previously-used contact lenses, you don't have that luxury.
Step 1
Wash your hands prior to handling the lenses for storage. If your hands are contaminated when they touch the contact lenses, you will be putting contaminants into the lens container and causing damage to your lenses over time.
Step 2
Fill a contact lens holder with a saline eye solution and place the contacts in the holder. The eye solution is important because it is sterilized and safe for your contacts. Tap water and other fluids may have small microbes in them that can cause infections in your eyes, and the water itself can decrease the lifespan of the contacts. Make sure the lens solution and the case interior are both clean prior to use.
Step 3
Keep the contacts at room temperature. Excessive heat can damage the contacts, making them ineffective when you pull them out to use them.
Step 4
Keep the contacts away from direct sunlight. The sun's rays can heat the case, warming the interior to unsafe levels and warping or damaging the lenses.
Things You'll Need
- Contact lens solution
- Contact lens holder
