Contact lenses give you a convenient and economical alternative to glasses that don't affect your personal style and aesthetic. While some contact lenses can be slept in, it's a good idea to take your contacts out each night to give your eyes a chance to rest and breathe after wearing the lenses. By washing your hands and caring for your lenses properly, you can ensure that your contacts last as long as they should.
Step 1
Discard any leftover saline solution left in your case and fill with fresh solution. The Food and Drug Administration warns against "topping off" or adding to the solution currently in your case. Your contacts should always be stored in fresh saline solution for the best results. Old saline could harbor bacteria that could transfer to and infect your eyes.
Step 2
Wash your hands with antibacterial soap and water, but avoid cream soaps that contain moisturizers and fragrances. These can be transferred to the surface of the contact lens, notes the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. The residue from moisturizers or creams in soap can become an eye irritant when you put your contacts back in.
Step 3
Place your middle finger under your eye and pull down gently to expose some of the white of the eye. This will help to dislodge the contact lens. Look up to the ceiling, and place your index finger directly onto the middle of the contact lens.
Step 4
Slide the lens downward to the white of the eye, and then pluck the lens between your thumb and forefinger. Gently lift the lens away from your eye.
Step 5
Hold the lens in the palm of your hand and add a squirt of saline solution. Rub the lens back and forth to clean it before storing. This is also a good time to examine the lens for rips, tears or scratches. If the lens is intact, place it into the waiting fresh saline solution in your case.
Step 6
Repeat the process for your other eye. Screw on the contact lens caps and store in an upright position in a safe place.
Things You'll Need
- Soap
- Water
- Saline solution
- Contact lens case
