How to Clean Contact Lens Case
At the end of the day, you take out your contact lenses, put them in their case with some contact lens solution, and head to bed. The next morning, you take them out of the case and put them in your eyes before heading off to start your day. But, in between, are you taking good care of your lens case? Are you cleaning it well enough? If you aren’t, there are some scary risks involved. That’s why we’ve put together a helpful guide to show you how to clean your contact lens case properly for the health of your eyes.
Use Your Contact Lens Solution to Clean Your Case
If you were worried that cleaning your contact lens case would require a lot of additional steps, fear not.
While you can follow the directions given to you by your eye doctor, or the contact lens solution manufacturer’s guidelines, here are some simple steps that you can follow as well:
- After you put the lenses in your eyes, empty the case of any solution that’s left. You definitely should not be reusing old solution or adding additional solution to it. Just dump it and start fresh.
- Once the case is empty, use your finger to rub the inside of it for about five seconds. This helps remove bacteria and biofilm.
- Next, thoroughly rinse the case, as well as the inside of the lids, with some of your multi-purpose contact lens solution. Then, wipe it all with a clean tissue.
- To completely dry the case, you could just set it face down, with the lids off, on a tissue to let it air-dry. Keep it in a clean location that’s free of moisture.
Important Step: Always—and we mean always—wash your hands before handling your contact lens case and the lenses themselves. And be sure your hands are clean before you use your fingers to rub the inside of the case (step 2 above).
Beware - Don’t Use Water to Clean Your Case!
While it might seem like a no-brainer to rinse your case out with some tap water, this is a bad idea. That’s because the water might be host to bacteria that may do a lot of damage.
An example is Acanthamoeba keratitis, which is a serious infection of the cornea that might even result in vision loss. Yikes!
Just stick with using your multi-purpose solution to get the job done.
Replace That Case Often!
Think you can go a really long time using the same old contact lens case? Think again. To prevent the spread of bacteria that may cause irritation or infection, it’s actually best to throw away your case and replace it with a new one every three months, if not sooner.
Is this really necessary? Yes. Microorganisms, including bacteria, might end up making their home in your case, forming an invisible biofilm that might even prevent your cleaning solution from doing its job properly.
Are You Keeping Your Case in the Bathroom? It Might Not Be Such a Good Idea
Did you know that, because the bathroom can be a humid environment, and because of toilet plume (basically, pathogens spray into the air every time you flush), the risk of contamination becomes greater? So it isn’t always a good idea to store your contact lens case there, convenient as it might be.
Where should you store your contact lens case? Well, experts recommend a low-humidity environment that’s also hygienic. But if you must keep it in your bathroom, just try not to leave it out in the open. That way, you can prevent contaminants from getting to it so easily.
Do You Need to Upgrade Your Routine?
If you haven’t been cleaning your contact lens case according to the directions above, don’t worry, you aren’t alone. Just upgrade your routine so you can take additional steps towards preventing problems. After all, this is your eyes we’re talking about!
Also, don’t forget to visit your eye doctor regularly to ensure you always have fresh contacts that fit just right and allow you to see clearly. With insurance like Spirit Vision, you can see your doctor without worrying about breaking the bank whenever you need new lenses.