If you are new to contact lens wearing, here are a few valuable tips to help you wear them right.
1. Prescription
The first thing you must do before you begin wearing a contact lens is to get a prescription. If you wear glasses, you may already have one, but it is still necessary to get a separate one for the contact lens. These are placed directly on your eyes, so extra measurements are required to make a perfect fit for your eyes. It is also possible that both the eyes may have separate measurements, so it is important to have an accurate prescription for each eye.
2. Use Prescription to Order
Once you receive your prescription, only then place an order for the lens. If you suffer from far or nearsightedness, then your contact lens will require three things:
- Base Curve:
This is the measurement of the natural curvature of your eye to ensure that your lenses securely fit your eye. Your manufacturer will handle this process for you.
- Power
This is the estimate of how much vision correction you require for clear eyesight
- Diameter
This measures the width of the contact lenses.
If you have astigmatism, you will need different kinds of contact lenses. If you suffer from presbyopia, then you will have to consider wearing a multifocal contact lens.
3. Choose a Pattern you are most comfortable with
You may find it confusing to decide whether to get a daily, biweekly, or monthly wear lenses. The best way to decide is to see what you are most comfortable with and which suits you the best.
- The daily lens is most convenient and the most hygienic as you change pairs each day.
- The biweekly lens lasts for two weeks. You have to clean them each night but replace them sooner than monthly lenses.
- Monthly lenses can last around 30 days if you clean them thoroughly and store them in contact lens solution.
4. Exercise Great Care when Putting on the Lens
Follow the step by step instructions carefully to put on the lens easily:
- Thoroughly wash and dry your hands first. Then carefully lift the lens from the case and place it on your index fingertip.
- Hold the upper eyelid upwards and pull down on the lower lid. Carefully and slowly place the lens over your iris.
- Look up and down and blink strongly to settle it firmly in place.
5. Daytime Care
You don’t need to worry about much once your lenses are on. They suit almost all activities except for showering and swimming. Make sure you remove your lens before any such activity. If your eyes feel dry and begin irritating you, try using eye drops to rewet your lens and find some relief.
Also, carry an extra pair of glasses when going out. This way, you can wear them after removing the lens past the recommended time.
6. Nighttime Care
If you opt for daily lenses, then all you have to do is discard them before you sleep. If you use the two weekly or monthly lenses, then you will have to clean them first with a solution.
- Scrub your hands clean with soap and warm water
- Use fresh solution to scrub then lens thoroughly
- Rinse the lens again with a solution
- You should store your lenses in their cases filled with the solution.
Your eyes are extremely sensitive, and no matter how innovative the contact lenses are, you still need to be careful when wearing and taking them off. Listen to expert advice and stick to the best practices to keep seeing the beautiful world around you.
