When cared for properly, contact lenses can provide a comfortable and convenient way to work, play, and live for the 30 million plus people in the U.S. who wear them. While contact lenses are usually a safe and effective form of vision correction, they are not entirely risk-free—especially if they are not cared for properly. Contact lenses are medical devices, and failure to wear, clean, and store them as directed can increase the risk of eye infections, such as microbial keratitis. To reap the benefits of wearing contact lenses, it is essential to practice healthy habits. Remember: Healthy Habits = Healthy Eyes.
Protect Your Eyes
You only have one pair of eyes, so take care of them! Healthy Habits = Healthy Eyes.
Enjoy the comfort and benefits of contact lenses while lowering your chance of complications. Failure to wear, clean, and store your lenses as directed by your eye doctor raises the risk of developing serious infections. Your habits, supplies, and eye doctor are all essential to keeping your eyes healthy. Follow these tips.
Hard contact lens wearers, see additional tips below.
Your Habits
Wash your hands with soap and water. Dry them well with a clean cloth before touching your contact lenses every time.
Don't sleep in your contact lenses unless prescribed by your eye doctor.
Keep water away from your contact lenses. Avoid showering in contact lenses, and remove them before using a hot tub or swimming.
Your Supplies
Contact lens icon Your Contact Lenses
Rub and rinse your contact lenses with contact lens disinfecting solution—never water or saliva—to clean them each time you remove them.
Never store your contact lenses in water.
Replace your contact lenses as often as recommended by your eye doctor.
Contact lens case iconYour Contact Lens Case
Rub and rinse your contact lens case with contact lens solution—never water—and then empty and dry with a clean tissue. Store upside down with the caps off after each use.
Replace your contact lens case at least once every three months.
Your Contact Lens Solution
Don’t “top off” solution. Use only fresh contact lens disinfecting solution in your case—never mix fresh solution with old or used solution.
Use only the contact lens solution recommended by your eye doctor.
Your Eye Doctor
Visit your eye doctor yearly or as often as he or she recommends.
Ask your eye doctor if you have questions about how to care for your contact lenses and case or if you are having any difficulties.
Remove your contact lenses immediately and call your eye doctor if you have eye pain, discomfort, redness, or blurred vision.
Be Prepared
a pair of glasses Carry a backup pair of glasses with a current prescription—just in case you have to take out your contact lenses.
Tips for Hard, or Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP), Contact Lens Wearers
The wear and care recommendations for soft contact lenses also apply to hard, or rigid gas permeable (RGP or GP), contact lenses. Here are a couple of extra tips:
To clean hard contact lenses, rub and rinse them with contact lens cleaning or multipurpose solution—never water or saliva—each time you remove them. Rinse them well with the solution recommended by your eye doctor.
Hard contact lenses can last much longer than soft contact lenses if cared for properly. Replace your hard contact lenses when recommended to do so by your eye doctor.
Benefits of Vision Correction with Contact Lenses
Being able to see well, for most, is essential to performing the activities of day to day life. Good vision contributes to overall well-being and independence for people of all ages. For those with imperfect but correctable vision, many options can help to improve sight. These options most commonly include glasses, contact lenses, or laser surgery. Deciding which option is best for you depends on your eyes, lifestyle, and budget—and should be discussed with an eye doctor.
Wearing contact lenses has many potential benefits. To get the most out of your contact lens-wearing experience, be sure to always practice healthy habits and remember that all types of contact lenses—even cosmetic lenses that don’t correct vision but change the color or look of the eye—are medical devices that need to be prescribed by an eye doctor.
See well.
Contact lenses correct most vision problems 1, including:
Near-sightedness (myopia): blurred vision far away
Far-sightedness (hyperopia): blurred vision close up
Astigmatism: blurred vision both far away and close up
Presbyopia: blurred vision close up in aging adults
Contact lenses move with the eye for vision correction that can feel and look natural 2.
Some studies have shown that specially fitted contact lenses may help slow the progression of near-sightedness in children and teens, although they are not currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for this purpose 3-9.
Feel well.
The variety of contact lens materials and replacement schedules available allows eye doctors to select the best option for an individual’s eyes, lifestyle, and budget.
Contact lenses allow individuals to maintain a natural appearance without glasses or, if they choose, to change the appearance of their eyes with colored contact lenses.
Children, teens, and adults who wear contact lenses report feeling better about their physical appearance and ability to engage in sports and recreational activities compared to those who wear glasses 10-12.
Play well.
Well-fitting contact lenses stay in place on the eyes and improve peripheral (side) vision during sports and activities.2, 13, 14
Contact lenses do not fog up like glasses when outdoors, in low temperature work environments, or playing sports.
Contact lens wearers can use non-prescription UV-blocking sunglasses to protect their eyes from the sun. Some types of contact lenses can provide extra UV protection—although they are not a substitute for sunglasses 15.
Germs & Infections
Being able to see well is a vital aspect of performing daily activities for most people. Worldwide, many people rely on contact lenses (as well as glasses and eye surgery) to improve their sight. Contact lenses can provide many benefits, but they are not risk-free—especially if contact lens wearers don’t practice healthy habits and take care of their contact lenses and supplies 1. If patients seek care quickly, most complications can be easily treated by an eye doctor. However, more serious infections can cause pain and even permanent vision loss, depending on the cause and how long the patient waits to seek treatment 2, 3.
Keratitis
Contact lens wear is linked to higher risk of keratitis 2, or inflammation of the cornea (the clear dome that covers the colored part of the eye). Many contact lens wearers do not care for their contact lenses and supplies as instructed, which increases their risk of eye problems like keratitis 4-6.
Keratitis in contact lens wearers can be caused by many factors 7. One type of keratitis, called microbial keratitis, can occur when germs invade the cornea. These germs—such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, or parasites (amebae)—are more likely to invade the eyes when contact lenses are worn for too long or are not cared for correctly 7, 8. Microbial keratitis is a serious type of eye infection in contact lens wearers, which can lead to blindness or the need for corneal transplant in the most severe cases 7.
Types of Microbial Keratitis
Bacterial Keratitis
Fungal Keratitis
Parasitic/Amebic Keratitis
Viral Keratitis
Symptoms of Eye Infection
Irritated, red eyes
Worsening pain in or around the eyes—even after contact lens removal
Light sensitivity
Sudden blurry vision
Unusually watery eyes or discharge
Prevention
Microbial keratitis can usually be prevented through healthy habits and proper care of contact lenses and supplies 9. Keep your eyes healthy while wearing contact lenses by following these tips, and always be sure to carry a pair of glasses with you—just in case you have to take out your contact lenses.
Other Complications
Contact lenses provide vision benefits, but they are not risk-free if wear and care instructions are not followed 1. If you are a contact lens wearer, your contact lenses should feel comfortable and allow you to see well. If they don’t, schedule an appointment for your eye doctor to re-check your eyes and lenses.
Complications
Rare infections of the cornea (the clear dome covering the colored part of the eye), called microbial keratitis, are among the most serious complications related to contact lens wear 2-4. Other complications that are commonly linked to contact lenses usually cause milder symptoms, or no symptoms at all 1, 5. They may resolve through temporarily not wearing contact lenses, or with eye drops prescribed by an eye doctor 1, 6. Some of these complications include:
Allergies affecting the eyes
Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis: bumps that appear underneath the eyelid
Corneal abrasion: a scratch or scrape on the cornea
Contact Lens-induced Acute Red Eye (CLARE): red, irritated eyes
Corneal infiltrates: irritation of the cornea indicating inflammation and possible infection
Dry eyes
Neovascularization: new blood vessels growing onto the cornea, sometimes causing eye redness
If You Have Symptoms
If you have any of the symptoms below, remove your contact lenses. If the symptoms continue after a couple of hours, or if they get worse, call your eye doctor.
Irritated, red eyes
Worsening pain in or around the eyes
Light sensitivity
Sudden blurry vision
Unusually watery eyes or discharge
Prevention
Keep your eyes healthy while wearing contact lenses by following these tips, and always be sure to carry a pair of glasses with you—just in case you have to take out your contact lenses. (content source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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