When your optician first prescribes you contact lenses they will also discuss with you how long to wear them, how often you should replace them and how to handle and care for them too.
Contact lens care
How do I look after different types of lenses?
When your optician first prescribes you contact lenses they will also discuss with you how long to wear them, how often you should replace them and how to handle and care for them too.
Your lens care regime is generally based upon the replacement schedule for the type of lens you have – for daily disposables there are no care solutions required, for reusable lenses that are removed at night, a multi-purpose solution that is used to clean and disinfect the lens is the most commonly recommended variety. Each night, the lenses need to be removed, cleaned and soaked in fresh solution. Whatever the lenses that you are given, it is very important to have clean and dry hands when handling your contact lenses. Water must not be allowed to come in to contact with the lenses or the case at any time as this, as well as poor hygiene or incorrect use of the care solutions can result in a serious eye infection.
Daily disposable lenses
Daily disposable lenses are worn for one day only and then simply discarded, as their name suggests. The next day you open a brand new, fresh pair of contact lenses to wear. This means there is no need for any special cleaning or disinfecting solutions.
Click here to view the range of ACUVUE® daily disposable lenses.
Reusable contact lenses
ACUVUE® reusable contact lenses can be used every day for up to two weeks. They are removed, cleaned and disinfected every night before being stored in a contact lens case and reinserted in the morning. After two weeks you need to replace your ACUVUE® reusable lenses with a new pair. The easiest way to remember your lens care schedule is to sign up for ACUMINDERTM. You will be sent email or text alerts to remind you to change your lenses every two weeks, buy new ones and when to book your next appointment with your optician. Alternatively, you may prefer to always use a fresh pair of lenses on the 1st and the 15th of the month and write a note to yourself on your calendar to make it easy.
Click here to view the ACUVUE® reusable lenses.
Extended wear lenses
If you are suitable, your optician may suggest using extended wear lenses which can be worn through the night. ACUVUE® OASYS® with HYDRACLEAR® PLUS Contact Lenses can be worn for up to six nights before you discard them and change to a fresh pair the following day. If you do remove them before the end of the wear schedule then they will need to be cleaned and disinfected before you reuse them. Do not sleep in your lenses unless directed to by your eye care professional. Click here to view the ACUVUE® extended wear lenses.
Contact lens care
If you choose reusable contact lenses you will need to maintain a good regular cleaning routine and hand hygiene to minimise the risk of eye infection. Whatever the lenses that you are given, it is very important to have clean and dry hands when handling your contact lenses. Water must not be allowed to come in to contact with the lenses or the case at any time as this, as well as poor hygiene or incorrect use of the care solutions can result in a rare but serious eye infection.
You will also need to keep your lens case as clean as possible and replace it frequently, as recommended by your optician.
