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4 Common Mistakes People Make With Contact Lenses

Woman smiling while holding a contact lense

If you’re a long-time contact lens user, you may not think too much about how they can affect the health of your eyes. Popping them in and out might be second nature to you at this point, but it will really benefit you to consider the mistakes you might be making with them. Crescent Eye Care offers quality eye care including glasses and contacts. In today’s blog post, we talk about four of the most common mistakes people make with contact lenses—and how to avoid them. Read on to learn more.

Woman placing contact lenses in contact case

Wearing Contacts Longer Than Recommended 

Contacts are expensive, and if you don’t have vision insurance, you may be cutting corners by using the same pair for longer than you should. But wearing contacts longer than recommended puts you at increased risk for an eye infection due to a buildup of bacteria. You may think you’re saving money by putting off replacing your contacts, but it could cost you dearly in the long run. Make sure you are replacing your contact lenses as often as your optometrist tells you to. 

Not Cleaning And/Or Replacing Your Contact Case 

You know to clean your contacts every evening when you take them out, but did you know you should also be cleaning your case regularly as well? Did you also know that you should be replacing it at least every three months? Just like your old lenses, your contact case will eventually be covered in too many microorganisms to truly get clean again. You don’t want all those germs in your eyes, so pay attention to how long you’ve had it and get rid of it at the three month mark. Need to make an appointment? Call us today!

Not Washing Hands Before Handling Lenses 

It doesn’t matter how clean you think your hands are. Within just a few minutes of being out in the world, your skin could be covered in billions of bacteria. It is important to wash your hands immediately before touching your contacts. Your eyes are sensitive to infection and any amount of the wrong bacteria can cause serious discomfort. Make sure your hands and fingernails are clean before you touch things that have contact with your eyes. 

Sleeping in Your Contacts 

Have you ever accidentally fallen asleep in your contacts and then realized to your horror that they didn’t want to come out when you woke up? There’s a reason for that: most of the time, contact lenses are not designed to be slept in. Even a short nap with contacts in can cause microscopic tears in the cornea that can lead to an increased risk of eye infection. Leaving them in through the night can cause corneal neovascularization, an overgrowth of blood vessels in the eye, which can make it impossible to wear contacts at all. Doing so consistently can lead to ulcers, pain, discharge and even vision loss. If you care about your eyes, take your contacts out before you go to bed. It’s important. 

Man sleeping

Contact lenses make life a lot easier for those who aren’t blessed with perfect vision, but you will only be able to utilize them fully if you use them correctly. Don’t take your vision for granted. Take care of your eyes. If you are looking for the best eye doctor near you or a contact lens fitting, Crescent Eye Care can help. We offer quality eye care in Charlston and would be happy to find the right glasses and contacts for you. Schedule online today!