Preparing for Insertion
Cleanliness is the first and most Important aspect of proper contact lens care. Establish a routine of good hygiene for handling your lenses.
Always wash your hands thoroughly with a mild soap, rinse carefully and dry before
touching your lenses.
Do not use oily cosmetics, soaps contains cold cream, lotions or creams before handling
your lenses. It is best to insert your lenses before putting on make-up
Keep your eyes closed when using hairspray or other aerosols.
Seek professional advice about wearing lenses during sporting activities.
Always follow the instructions in this leaflet and any advice given to you by your Eye Care
Practitioner for the correct handling, insertion, removal, cleaning, disinfecting, storing and
use of your lenses.
Never wear lenses longer than the period prescribed.
Do not use the lens if the sterile package has been opened or the tamper evident seal is
damaged.
Insertion of lens
To avoid mix-ups, develop the habit of always inserting the first lens in your tight eye.
Before inserting the lens, check to see it is free of any nicks or tears. If it appears damaged, throw it away. Check the lens has not turned inside out.
Place the lens on the tip of your forefinger and hold above eye level; you are looking at the bowl of the lens from the outside
Remember to start with your right eye. Once the lens has been examined and you are sure it is not inside out, place it on the tip of your forefinger.
Place the middle finger of the same hand close to your lower eyelashes and pull down the lower lid.
Use the forefinger or middle finger of the other hand to lift the upper lid and place the lens on the eye.
Gently release both lids and blink.
Repeat these steps for the left lens.
There are other methods of lens placement. If the above method is difficult for you, your Eye Care Practitioner can provide an alternative.
Usually, the lens centers itself automatically on the middle of your eye when insert it and will very rarely be displaced on to the white of your eye during wear.
However, this can occur if insertion and removal are not performed properly.
To center a lens, follow either of these methods.
Close your eyelids and gently massage the lens into place through the closed lid.
Or, Gently manipulate the off-centered lens onto the middle of your eye while the eye is opened, using finger pressure on the edge of the upper or lower lid.
If your vision is blurred after inserting the lens, check for the following;
The lens may not be centered on the eye. Check the instructions above.
If the lens is in the correct position, remove it and look for the following;
a. Cosmetics or oils on the lens. remove it and wear again.
b. The lens may be on the wrong eye.
c. The lens may be inside out, which would also make it less
comfortable than normal.
Remove the lens
Always remove the same lens first.
Wash, rinse and dry your hands thoroughly. Always ensure that the lens is on the middle of your eye before attempting to remove it.
To locate the lens, inspect the upper area of the eye by looking down into a mirror while pulling the upper lid up. Then inspect the lover area by pulling the lower lid down.
Once you have found the lens, you can remove it by using the pinch method introduced below or any other method recommended by your Eye Care Practitioner.
Look left, slide the lens down to the white of your eye using
your forefinger.
Gently pinch the lens between your thumb and forefinger and
remove the lens.
Take care of the lens
Take care of the lens
For the continued safe and comfortable use of your lenses, it is important to follow the instructions given to you by your Eye Care Practitioner.
Failure to follow the correct lens care regime may result in the development of serious eye problems.
Cleaning and rinsing are essential to remove mucus, secretions, and deposits which may have accumulated during use. Do this immediately after removing your lenses and prior to disinfection.
Harmful germs can only be removed by cleaning, rinsing and disinfecting.
Use fresh, unexpired lens care solutions.
Never use solutions recommended for conventional hard lenses only.
Never put your lenses in your mouth or use anything other than the recommended solutions for
lubricating or wetting your lenses.
Never rinse them in tap water, since this can contain many impurities that can contaminate
or damage your lenses and may lead to eye infection or injury.
Put each lens into the correct chamber of the lens storage system and make sure they are completely immersed in the storage solution when they are not being worn. If lenses left our for long periods,
they may dry out and become brittle.
Seek the advice of your Eye Care Practitioner if your lenses are to be stored for extended periods.
Since lens cases can be a source of bacteria, after use they should be emptied, cleaned and rinsed with recommended sterile solutions and allowed to air dry.
Your lens case should also be replaced regularly, as advised by the lens case manufacturer.
Never use tap water to rinse your lens case.
