It is extremely important that you understand how to care for your contact lenses properly. Consider that contact lenses are resting directly on eye tissue, which means that any germs or dirt that remain on the lens will come in contact with your eye. This can lead to a variety of eye infections, ranging from simply uncomfortable to some that can cause blindness. Careful, complete contact lens care is important!

Fortunately, contact lens care has improved over the years. What used to involve lots of time, expense, various products and extra steps has in most cases been reduced to one bottle of contact lens solution because of the new disposable lenses.

Your eye care professional will instruct you as to which contact lens solution and regimen of contact lens care is best for the contacts prescribed for you. Do not switch without asking first-some contact lens solutions are not compatible with certain contact lenses.

The basic components of contact lens care are clean, rinse, and disinfect. There are products available today that do all three, such as Clear Care and Aosept. You simply use the same solution for cleaning your lenses, rinsing them before storing and before inserting, and for disinfecting (usually an overnight soak). If you have disposable lenses, you will not need a special solution for protein deposit removal; however, contact lenses designed to be replaced only once or twice a year must go through a protein removal process. Products for removing protein include enzymatic cleaner and daily protein removal liquids.

Important Contact Lens Care Tips
- Never touch solution bottle tips to any surface, including your body: the solution can become contaminated.
- Avoid getting tap water on your contact lenses and accessories, as it can carry a microorganism called Acanthamoeba that causes serious eye infections.
- Throw out your contact lens case once a month, or as directed, to reduce your risk of infection.
- Never, ever share contact lenses with another person!