How to Make the Most of Your Contact Lenses

Glasses are great — arguably one of the most important inventions ever. But they can also be a nuisance. They get smudged. Unless you have transition lenses, you have to buy prescription sunglasses. And you can’t do high-intensity activities in them lest they get knocked off your face. 

That’s why a lot of people love contact lenses. If you’re thinking about trying contacts, come see our team at Edwin Y. Endo, OD & Associates in Aiea, Hawaii. Dr. Endo can help you decide if contact lenses could be right for you, either in tandem with or as a replacement for eyeglasses. 

If you do decide to go the contact lens route, these tips will help you make the most of them.  

Always wash your hands before touching them

Make sure you put your contacts in with completely clean hands. If you don’t, even a tiny speck of dust or lint on your finger can cause an issue. Even if it isn’t painful, you might have the persistent feeling that something is stuck in your eye. 

To start your day of wearing contacts off on the right foot, wash your hands before putting them in. 

Align them before you put them in

In a similar vein, make sure you’re putting the contact in the right way.

All contact lenses curve a certain way to match the shape of your eyeball. If you put the lens in inside-out, you won’t see as clearly, and your eye might feel uncomfortable. 

To check that a contact is right-side out, place it on the tip of your finger. It should look like its edges go straight up. If they flare outward, flip it the other direction before putting it in. 

If you have astigmatism, you might need to take a little extra time to align. Your contact lenses may have a tiny indicator on one side (e.g., on the bottom). Dr. Endo tells you how to line that up properly. That helps you minimize blurry vision that can occur before the contact settles properly in your eye. 

Carry a case, solution, and glasses for a while

It can take some time to get used to wearing contacts. You don’t have to toss lenses and walk around with blurry vision, though. So you’re ready to make the swap if your eyes need it, carry a contact lens case, contact solution, and your glasses for a while. 

Keep them clean

If you wear daily contacts, you don’t need to worry about cleaning them. If you don’t get a fresh pair of lenses daily, though, you need to have a system to keep your contact lenses sterile.

Get a case and contact solution (most solutions come with a contact lens case). 

After you take a lens out, put it in the palm of your hand with a few drops of solution. Gently rub the lens to clean it. Then, carefully rinse it with a few more drops of solution. Finally, put the lens in the case. Then you can loop back to our first tip to start the next day. 

If you’re ready to explore contacts for yourself, call our office at 808-774-3838 to schedule an appointment today.