Health

You wear lenses. Learn how to care for them properly. These tips are explained to you in this document provided by the French Society of Ophthalmologists and Contact Lens Adaptors.

WHY SHOULD YOU CLEAN YOUR LENSES AFTER WEARING THEM?

On the eye, lenses are in an environment where there are naturally bacteria. Most are harmless but some can become aggressive. When your eye is irritated and less able to defend itself, these bacteria can cause a serious infection.

There are also bacteria on the hands that adhere to the lenses when they are put in and taken off. Cleaning your hands with soap before each manipulation significantly reduces their number.

Finally, the cases where the lenses are stored can contain bacteria. They must be regularly maintained, cleaned using lens care solutions and then dried because humidity attracts fungi. They must be thrown away and replaced frequently.

To combat infection, it is therefore essential, after a day of wearing them, to eliminate bacteria and deposits present on the lenses by cleaning them in order to put on clean and decontaminated lenses the next day.

WHY SHOULD YOU AVOID CONTACT BETWEEN LENSES AND WATER?

Tap water, swimming pool water, fresh water or sea water contain organisms called amoebas that easily transform into cysts that are very resistant, even to lens care products. They can cause serious eye infections. This is why it is not recommended to swim with your lenses and to rinse lenses and cases with water.

ARE ALL LENS CARE PRODUCTS THE SAME?

No, there are products for soft lenses and products for rigid lenses. There are two categories of lens care solutions: Multi-function solutions contain different chemical agents to clean, decontaminate, rinse and make the lenses more comfortable. These chemical agents are partly different from one solution to another. You should therefore avoid changing solutions without consulting your ophthalmologist because you may find your lenses less tolerable afterwards. Some of these solutions are more suitable for sensitive eyes. With multi-function solutions, do not forget to massage the lenses when cleaning. Thanks to their persistent decontaminating effect, they allow the lenses to be preserved for a few days if they are not used.

"Oxidizing" systems use a very high-quality decontaminant, hydrogen peroxide, which must not come into contact with the eye. It is therefore necessary to soak the lenses for several hours and sometimes add a tablet to the case so that the decontaminant is "neutralized" before putting the lenses back on the eye. The instructions, the ophthalmologist or the optician will explain how these products work. It is not necessary to massage the lenses in this case. There is no persistent decontaminating effect and they do not allow the lenses to be preserved for a few days if they are not used.

For rigid lenses, decontamination follows the same principles but uses specific products. The frequency of replacing rigid lenses, which is longer, requires daily cleaning with a solution and weekly cleaning with another deproteinizing solution.

WHAT ARE THE RISKS IF YOU CHANGE THE BRAND OF MAINTENANCE SOLUTION?

Maintenance solutions contain chemical agents that vary from one solution to another or are identical but in different dosages. Changing solutions can lead to less comfort or even allergic reactions.

WHAT TO THINK ABOUT "WHITE" PRODUCTS SOMETIMES RECOMMENDED BY OPTICIANS?

These are products sold by optician distribution chains. Most often, they are products manufactured by large laboratories but using the old compositions. They are a little less expensive but do not benefit from the latest innovations.

WHY SHOULD YOU CHANGE THE PRODUCT IN THE CASE EVERY DAY?

Because after cleaning the lenses soaked for several hours in the product, the decontaminating and cleaning agents are less effective, as if you were starting a washing machine cycle again without adding detergent. In the United States, some time ago, problems of contamination of lenses by fungi led to serious eye damage in wearers who did not empty the used product from their case and simply added new product to the one that remained in the case. The mixture of new and used products is then not effective enough to protect against contamination.

HOW SHOULD I CLEAN MY LENSES WITH A MULTIFUNCTIONAL SOLUTION?

When removing the lenses, you must:

• Wash your hands with soap and dry them thoroughly before handling the lenses.
• Remove a lens at the end of the day, place it in your hand, add product.
• Massage the lens with your little finger (which has less strength and is less likely to damage the lenses) in the palm of your hand for 20 seconds.
• Rinse again with product. Do the same with the other lens.
• Place the lenses in the case, fill the case with product, close it and leave the lenses for at least six hours or even overnight.

In the morning when inserting them:

• After washing and drying your hands, take the lenses out of the case, rinse them with product without massaging them.
• Place the lenses on your eyes.
• Empty the case completely of the solution used the day before, dry it with a tissue or paper towel, leave it face down on a clean surface.

HOW SHOULD I CLEAN MY LENSES WITH AN OXIDIZING SYSTEM?

• Remove the lenses after cleaning and drying your hands.
• Place them in the case provided for this purpose and fill with product up to the line.
• Close the case and leave overnight or at least the time recommended by the manufacturer on the instructions.
• Change the solution every day and the case regularly.

Sheet established by the French Society of Ophthalmologists Contact Lens Adapters in November 2010

For more information, click here.

Author: Alix du Couëdic