Looking for a quick guide to contact lenses or advice on caring for contact lenses? Look no further!
Whether you’re a seasoned contact lens wearer changing from dailies to weeklies or you’re thinking about making the switch from spectacles to contacts, here’s everything you need to know about caring for contact lenses.
Which Contact Lenses Are Best?
Contact lenses are a great substitute for spectacles and especially good for people who have active lifestyles or just don’t like wearing glasses. There are lots of options available, including daily disposable lenses and reusable lenses.
Plus, we have toric lenses for people who have astigmatism and multi-focal contact lenses for people who have presbyopia, a common vision problem. So, whatever your eye care needs, at Richard Petrie Optometrists in Littleover, Derby, we have a lens that’s perfect for your eyes, and your lifestyle.
You can find out more information about the different lenses we offer on our contact lens page.
Caring For Contact Lenses
If you choose reusable contact lenses, it’s really important that you have a good routine in place to make sure you are caring for contact lenses and keeping them clean. This keeps the risk of any infections to a minimum and you’ll have happy, healthy eyes.
As part of our free contact lens trial, our friendly team will teach you how to put contacts in, take them out and how to take care of your contact lenses, but here are Richard Petrie’s rules for keeping them clean…
Step 1: Make sure your contact lens case is clean and filled with fresh contact lens solution
Step 2: Wash your hands thoroughly before you remove and insert your lenses
Step 3: Remove your contact lenses
Step 4: Gently clean your contact lenses using your contact lens solution
Step 5: Place your lenses in your case and pop on the lid – making sure you get the left & right lids the right way around!
If you’re ever unsure, check the instructions on your lens solution. And remember, never use tap water to clean your lenses.
When you first start using lenses, we’ll invite you back for regular after-care appointments to make sure that everything is going ok and you’re really comfortable using and caring for contact lenses.
Common Questions About Contact Lenses
These are the most common FAQs we receive about wearing contact lenses and the answers from our experts at our Derby practice:
Are contact lenses safe?
Yes – contact lenses are completely safe, but there are a few things to note.
- Only ever wear lenses prescribed by a qualified optometrist or dispensing optician
- Always follow the guidelines for taking care of your lenses
- Attend your regular aftercare appointments
- If you have any problems, call us on 01332 291010 for help and advice
I wear varifocal glasses – can I wear contact lenses?
Yes, you can. At Richard Petrie, we offer multifocal contact lenses in daily or reusable options for people who have presbyopia. They work in the same way as your varifocal lenses, with a stronger prescription for near vision, with distance vision maintained simultaneously.
How long can you wear contact lenses for?
We recommend wearing your contact lenses for no more than 12 hours per day, to avoid any discomfort, but everyone is different. If your eyes become sore or uncomfortable, remove your lenses as soon as you can.
Can you sleep in contact lenses?
Always remove your contact lenses before you go to bed. We do not recommend sleeping in contact lenses. When your eyes are closed, oxygen cannot get to your eye and because you aren’t blinking they can become dry and uncomfortable. It can even lead to infection.
If you accidentally fall asleep with your lenses in, wait a few minutes before trying to remove you lenses and use lens rewetting drops to hydrate your lenses so they can be removed more easily.
Can you swim in contact lenses?
We wouldn’t recommend going for a dip with your lenses in. This is because exposing your lenses to water can increase the risk of infection from naturally-occurring bacteria. This is also why you should not shower, wash or bathe with your lenses in. If you swim a lot, a pair of prescription swimming goggles is a great investment and we offer them at the practice too.
Can children wear contact lenses?
We have lots of children who use contact lenses from our range and are more than capable of looking after their own contact lenses. It all depends on the child – book them an appointment today and we can have a chat about their needs. There are even brand new lenses for myopia control for children.
If you would like to start wearing contact lenses, why not book a free contact lens trial with us? Just call the team on 01332 291010.
