Contact Lens Care Protect your eyes from damage and infection! Take the time to care for your contact lenses. Here are some tips for doing it right. What To Do - Go to your eye doctor every six months to catch problems early.
- Follow the directions that came with your lenses and lens-care products.
- Use only the lens-care cleaners that your eye doctor recommends.
- Get your eye doctor's OK before taking medicines or using eye products. That includes products you can buy without a prescription. For example, eye drops.
- Take out your lenses and call your eye doctor right away if:
- your vision changes,
- your eyes are red,
- your eyes hurt or feel uncomfortable, or
- you have a lot of tearing.
- Wash and rinse your hands before touching your lenses.
- Clean, rinse, and disinfect reusable lenses every time you remove them. Do this after storing your lenses for a long time, too.
- Take care of your lens case. Clean, rinse, and dry it each time you remove the lenses. Get a new case every six months.
What Not To Do - Never spit on your lenses.
- Never use tap water, bottled water, or salt water made at home. They can cause infections. (Only use products that your eye doctor or pharmacist recommends.)
- Never mix different cleaners or solutions.
- Never let lotions, creams, or sprays touch your lenses. Never wear lenses when you swim or go in a hot tub.
- Never wear daily-wear lenses when you sleep — not even during a nap.
- Never wear your lenses longer than your eye doctor tells you to.
To Report a Problem If contact lenses cause serious eye problems, first go to your doctor. Then report the problems to FDA's MedWatch program by filling out the form at www.fda.gov/medwatch. MedWatch lets anyone report serious problems they may have had with any drug or medical device. Reporting is voluntary. Warning Extended-wear (overnight) contact lenses can be handy. But they also increase your risk of getting small sores on the outside of the eyeball. These are called corneal ulcers. See your doctor right away if: - your vision changes,
- your eyes get red,
- your eyes hurt or feel uncomfortable, or
- you have a lot of tearing.
The FDA has only approved extended-wear lenses for up to seven (7) days. After that, they need to be taken out and cleaned. To learn more:
Call the Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) at 1-888-463-6332 or 301-827-3990 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. EST. Always contact your doctor for medical advice. October 2003
Current as of July 15, 2008
Last updated July 15, 2008
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