Colored contact lenses, whether you've chosen them to correct your vision or just to change your eye color, are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA recommends that you use the same hygiene measures to care for colored contact lenses that you use for any type of contact lens. Improper use of and care of contact lenses can have negative effects on your eye health and vision.
Step 1
Wash your hands with soap and water, rinse them thoroughly and dry them completely before you handle your colored contact lenses.
Step 2
Clean one contact lens at a time by removing the lens from your eye and placing it in the center of your palm. Squirt the lens generously with contact lens cleaner, and use your fingers to move the lens back and forth on your hand, gently scrubbing. Flip the lens over and use the same process to clean the other side. Store the clean lens in your contact lens case filled with lens solution, and repeat the process for your other eye.
Step 3
When you put in your contact lenses, empty the lens case and rinse it thoroughly, using warm water. Let the case air dry, then fill it with fresh lens solution.
Step 4
Store your colored lenses so that they are completely immersed in lens solution. Never "top off" your contact lens solution, which could cause bacteria to grow.
Step 5
Follow any other special instructions your eye doctor gives you for caring for your particular lenses.
Tips and Warnings
- The FDA recommends only buying colored contact lenses with a prescription and getting regular follow-up eye exams, even if you are only using the lenses for aesthetic purposes. According to the FDA, it's important to get contact lenses from a reputable seller who requires you to have a prescription, and not from costume shops or drugstores that sell novelty lenses.
- Caring incorrectly for your contact lenses can increase your risk for conjunctivitis, corneal ulcers and abrasions and vision loss or blindness, according to the FDA.
Things You'll Need
- Soap
- Lens cleaner
- Lens solution
- Lens case
