Useful tips

What should every contact lens wearer know?

We seriously invite every next or existing contact lens wearer to read the practical tips drawn-up by the leading Manaslecas.lv optometrist!

Let’s remember that every one of us has only two eyes and that’s why before you start to wear lenses be aware of several important tips!

Let’s go...

 

 

answer

Sarmīte Gžibovska

Optometrist

1. Should contact lenses be cleaned every day?

It is important to remember that before inserting and removing contact lenses you should definitely wash your hands and dry them in a towel. It is also important to clean deposits from contact lenses after removing them from the eyes on evenings. Although the contact lens care liquids are improved with active ingredients that clean and disinfect contact lenses, however, it is better to remove deposits from lenses by mechanical rubbing in the palm of your hand with round motions.

 

Throughout cleaning and disinfection of contact lenses reduces the risk of infection. The more deposits there are on contact lenses, the worse the visibility and air permeability of contact lenses get. This is the reason why it is very important to take care of your lenses and use the contact lens care solutions recommended by your eye doctor or optometrist. 

 

2. Is it necessary to use rewetting eye drops?
Rewetting eye drops will give you a greater comfort when wearing contact lenses, especially if you are working in air-conditioned environments or spending long time on the computer. Eye doctors or optometrists recommend touse rewetting eye drops for those lens wearers who have “dry eye” syndrome.
3. Should the lenses be removed before using rewetting eye drops?
Rewetting eye drops can be used also when wearing contact lenses. Do how it’s comfortable for you!
4. How often should I have vision screening?

Half of the year is the time at which the wearing of contact lenses can cause changes in the front parts of the eye. This means that an optometrist may assess the condition of the eye as well as give further instructions for the future contact lens wearing schedules.

Therefore it is highly recommended for contact lens wearers to have vision screening at least every six months. And now a bit of morality: It seems that we are only ready to take care of our beauty...go to hairdresser once a month, tan every weekend in summer by the beach, regularly visit manicure...but we only take care of our health when we feel major changes. Let’s remember... we only have two eyes. We can dye hair, tan other times as well as skip the manicure visit, but let’s try to think of our eye health more often :)

5. At what age children can start wearing contact lenses?

It is important that child is able to insert and remove contact lenses from the eyes by himself, as well as able to evaluate the feeling with contact lenses in the eyes. A person has to be able to be responsible for his health and should remove contact lenses from the eyes if they cause discomfort.

Child’s age shouldn’t be a reason to wear contact lenses. In some cases even very young children can wear lenses. Especially for children who are wearing contact lenses need to pay close attention to contact lens care, especially for its daily hygiene.

The average age at which children begin to wear contact lenses, is 13 years of age. Contact lenses are considered to be the very best type of vision correction for teenagers and those who play sports or are enthusiasts of an active lifestyle.

Before starting to wear contact lenses, be sure to visit eye doctor or optometrist and have an appropriate examination - eye and vision examination to determine whether the eye has no sign of a disease. Only after that an eye doctor or optometrist may recommend what’s best for your eyes to wear - glasses or contact lenses ... and also what types of lenses are the most appropriate for your child's eyes! 

6. Is it recommended to sleep with contact lenses in your eyes?
Yes, it is! With one condition - that they are for sleeping. Nowadays there are contact lenses available you can sleep with (extended wear contact lenses), but before you wear them be sure to consult your eye doctor or optometrist. During the sleep your eyes breathe less and if they are covered not only by the eyelid but also contact lenses, the eye gets less oxygen and an irritation my develop. Therefore remember that you can sleep with contact lenses in the eyes but not with all...only the ones that are for this purpose.
7. What are the main advantages of the contact lenses if compared with eyeglasses?

There are so many advantages of contacts if compared with glasses, but it doesn’t mean that wearing contact lenses, you can stop wearing glasses, because the eyes need to rest. Proper contact lenses provide much better image on the retina. The image is not decreasing and is more quality than on glasses – vision field becomes wider. Wearing contact lenses, the eyes get less tired so providing better working capacity.

And here is more...Contact lenses stay clear and do not sweat, are not forcing the nose and cannot fall off, as athletes and enthusiasts of an active lifestyle appreciate the benefits of contact lenses.

8. In what cases you shouldn’t wear contact lenses?

You shouldn’t be wearing contact lenses if you have acute eyelid, eye mucosal or ocular diseases as well as chronic disease of the eye anterior part with frequent recurrence, for example, allergies, herpes infections, and uncompensated high pressure inside the eye.
Contact lenses should not be also worn in cases of a very high dry eye syndrome if there are discretionary changes in the anterior parts of the eye.

9. Do contact lenses protect from UV radiation?
Most of both hard and soft contact lenses are industrially processed in order to absorb ultraviolet radiation. Soft contact lenses protect your eyes from UV better than hard as they cover larger area of the eye. However, contact lenses do not protect the entire eye and eyelid. Therefore sunglasses are also recommended for contact lens wearers.
10. Is it allowed to use make-up when wearing lenses?

Of course, but the make-up is recommended to apply after insertion of contact lenses and remove before removing contact lenses. Water-based cosmetics have less negative effect on the eyes compared with products containing oils.
Manaslecas.lv also offers special eye cosmetics for contact lens wearers. Try them!

11. Is it possible for contact lense to fall out of the eye?

It depends on the size – diameter of the contact lens. If contact lenses are properly selected and comply with the eyes, it should not happen. And this is another reason why before you start wearing lenses, you need to consult eye doctor or optometrist. Always remember that contact lenses should be removed before swimming or showering, because the watercan wash them out.
Contact lenses may also fall out if you are rubbing your eyes as well as there is a higher risk for people whose eye are wider if compared with those who have narrow eyes.

12. Can one manufacturer’s contact lenses be replaced to the other?
If you want to replace one manufacturer’s contact lenses to another, then you should definitely visit an eye doctor or optometrist who could tell you whether or not the contact lenses are suitable for your eyes.
13. What do these contact lens parameters mean - BC, Dk/L, Dk/t and DIA?

These parameters can be seen on the lens packs as well descriptions in Manaslecas.lv – e-shop.

BC (BaseCurve) is contact lens base curve radius. This shows the curve of the inner surface of the lens. If the contact lens base curve radius is too small the contact lens might be too tight and obstruct tear circulation. Too high curvature of the contact lens may cause blurred vision; the contact lens is too loose and doesn’t stand firmly on the eye.

Dk/L or Dk/t contact lens parameter which indicates gas (including oxygen) permeability. If this value is greater, the gas exchange is better and contact lenses can be worn for longer, but in the case of smaller percentage of water in contact lens may sometimes feel like dryness in the eye. 

DIA - lens diameter, which indicates the size of the lens, and how large area of the eye it covers. The larger the diameter is, the greater the contact lens is and for new contact lens wearers it might be more difficult to insert in the eyes.

14. What are the differences between hydrogel contact lenses and silicone hydrogel contact lenses?

The main difference of these lenses is oxygen permeability and water content.

Hydrogel contact lenses are the “old” generation lenses which are not that popular anymore. With these lenses the eyes get oxygen from the water in the lenses. So, the higher water content of those lenses, the more oxygen permeable they are. Sometimes the higher water content provides more comfort of the eyes. Contact lenses containing more water are more comfortable but also softer and more fragile. However, the oxygen permeability is too low to enable them to be worn all day and night long. This is the reason why this type of lenses can be worn up to 12 hours a day.

Silicone hydrogel lenses are the latest generation of lenses, which are more oxygen permeable than hydrogel lenses, which means that these lenses can be worn for longer - up to 16 hours a day and also extended wear schedule – during the night. In theses lenses the water is no longer the main oxygen provider to the eye but silicone. However the water content is reduced in the lens because of the greater oxygen permeability. These lenses are harder than hydrogel and are easy to learn to insert in the eye.

Silicone hydrogel contact lenses are superior to hydroge lcontact lenses, but there are people who are allergic to silicone material and therefore can only wear hydrogel lenses.

15. What happens if you wear contact lenses longer than allowed?

Nothing happens immediately, but regular lens wearing longer than allowed may cause long-term consequences. At the moment when you already have contact-lens related complications, it is difficult to go back to the level when contact lens wearing felt comfortable – it’s a slow recovery process.

The usage period of the contact lens guarantees that during this period your eyes will look, feel and see good. This is the key to a long-term contact lens wearing. Usage period – one month - is the time interval from the time the package is opened until 30 days have passed. This period is not affected by how often you wear contact lenses.

During this month contact lenses gradually lose their properties – air permeability, water, clarity and purity.

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