The dos and don’ts of contact lens safety

Contact lenses may make seeing well a breeze. But a few bad lens care habits may be harmful to your vision and eye health. 

“The front surface of the eye relies on oxygen from the environment and the tear film in order to stay healthy,” says Chantal Cousineau-Krieger, M.D., an ophthalmologist at the National Eye Institute. “When we place a contact lens on it, we’re disrupting things.” (Tear film is a substance that covers the surface of the eye and protects it.) 

More than 45 million Americans wear contact lenses. They are a safe and effective way to correct people’s vision, but only when they’re cared for properly.¹ If that’s not the case, contacts may lead to eye infections and irritation, says Dr. Cousineau-Krieger. 

“The poorer the hygiene that you have for your contact lenses, the more likely you are to get an eye infection,” says Jeffrey J. Walline, O.D., Ph.D., associate dean for research at The Ohio State University’s College of Optometry. 

People only have one pair of eyes. So using contacts properly may be an essential part of keeping their eyes healthy. Here are the dos and don’ts of contact lens safety. 

From doorknobs to smartphones, people’s hands touch all kinds of germy surfaces every day. Putting in or removing contact lenses with unwashed hands may transfer these germs into the eye, leading to an infection.  

Avoid touching the contact lenses before washing your hands (with soap and water) and drying them with a lint-free towel.² 

It’s not a good idea to clean contact lenses with tap water.³ That’s because tap water contains microbes, or tiny animals that can cause eye infections.⁴ Only use a contact lens solution recommended by a doctor to clean, disinfect and store them, says Dr. Walline.   

Each time contact lenses are removed:³

• Rub and rinse them in contact lens solution. 
• Store them in fresh solution in a contact lens case. 

Each time contact lenses are inserted:³

• Rub and rinse them with fresh solution. 
• Dump out the solution and dry the case. 
• Store the case upside down on a clean tissue. 
• Leave the case open with the caps off to dry completely.

Remove contact lenses before bedtime. Sleeping in them can increase risk of getting a serious eye infection.

That goes for either “extended wear” or “overnight wear” contacts, both of which are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Neither is necessarily safe to wear to bed.⁴

“Your eyes really do need some time when they don’t have a piece of plastic over them — when they are getting oxygen,” says Dr. Cousineau-Krieger. Nighttime is the perfect time for that much-needed break.

Depending on the type of contact lenses selected, they have to be changed either daily, weekly or even monthly. It’s important to follow the schedule for the specific types of contact lenses. Eye care providers will provide instructions based on the contact lens type. 

Here’s an overview on the 2 main types of contacts: 

• Single-use contacts (dailies).³ This contact lens type is for one day use. They should be thrown away at night and a new pair used the next day. No need to worry about cleaning or disinfecting them. (That is, unless they have to be taken out and put back in again in the same day. If you do that, follow the directions above.) 
  
  “The absolute best way to clean your contact lenses is to throw them away at the end of the day,” says Dr. Walline. “Daily disposable contact lenses are healthier for our eyes.” 
  
  Contact lenses may pick up eye irritants such as pollen and bacteria, which may land on the lenses, causing discomfort and possibly infection. With dailies, there’s no need to worry about washing those irritants away at the end of each day. Just toss out the contacts and wear a fresh pair in the morning.

• Reusable contacts (bi-weeklies or monthlies).³ These contact lenses may be taken out at night, cleaned and worn the next day. And despite their name, they don’t always last for 2 weeks or even an entire month. They need to be replaced after 7 to 30 days, depending on the brand or use.

Regardless of the type of contact lenses, it’s important to clean the case they’re stored in every day. 

When contact lenses are placed in a case, eye irritants (such as pollen and bacteria) may transfer from the lenses into the lens case. If those irritants aren’t washed away, they may attach themselves to the next pair of contacts that are put in the case.

How to keep a lens case clean:⁵

• Squirt the lens case with fresh contact lens solution.
• Rub the inside and outside of the case with fingers washed with soap and water.
• Dry the case with a clean towel or paper towel. 
• Lay it open and face down on a clean tissue.
• Let it air-dry.

Try replacing the case at least every 3 months or replace it right away if it becomes damaged.²

“Water and contact lenses do not mix,” says Dr. Cousineau-Krieger. Like tap water, water from lakes, oceans and swimming pools may contain harmful germs. It’s never a good idea to wear contacts when swimming or bathing.

To help keep eyes safe:⁴

• Remove contacts before showering, swimming or going in a hot tub.
• If water does get on contact lenses, throw them out or disinfect them overnight in contact lens solution.
• And remember: It’s not a good idea to use any liquids other than contact lens solution to clean contact lenses. That includes water from a tap, shower, lake, ocean or pool.

It’s a good idea to get an eye exam each year.³ Wear contacts? A contact lens exam is recommended. The federal government considers contacts medical devices, so they’re regulated. Because of these regulations, contact prescriptions typically expire after one year.

“For healthy patients, annual visits to the eye doctor are sufficient,” says Dr. Walline. “But eye doctors may recommend 6-month visits.” One example, Dr. Walline says, may be young children whose nearsightedness (myopia) may quickly progress. (Myopia is being able to see things up close, but distance vision being blurry⁶) In that situation, kids might need check-in visits in between their annual eye exams.

It’s a good idea to remove contact lenses when battling a cold, working an overnight shift or taking medicine that dries out your eyes, says Dr. Cousineau-Krieger. The same goes for any time contacts feel uncomfortable, especially if a quick rinse in solution doesn’t fix the problem, she says.

“Your body’s telling you something. Don’t ignore it,” she says. “If your contacts are uncomfortable, they should not be staying in your eyes.”

Dr. Cousineau-Krieger recommends having a pair of prescription eyeglasses, even if wearing contact lenses may be preferred. They will come in handy if the eyes need to be given a break. 

It’s also a good idea to switch to eyeglasses if there may be an infection in the eye. The following symptoms could signal an eye infection or condition:⁷

• Irritated, red eyes 
• Sensitivity to light (things look too bright) 
• Sudden blurry vision 
• Watery eyes or discharge 
• Worsening pain in or around the eyes 

Notice any of these symptoms? Contact an optometrist and schedule an eye exam.