Before touching the contact lens or one's eyes, it is important to thoroughly wash and rinse hands with a soap that does not contain moisturizers or allergens such as fragrences. The soap should not be antibacterial due to risk of improper hand washing and the possibility of destroying the natural bacteria found on the eye. These bacteria keep pathogenic bacteria from colonizing the cornea. The technique for removing or inserting a contact lens varies slightly depending upon whether the lens is soft or rigid.

In all cases, the insertion and removal of lenses requires some training and practice on the part of the user, in part to overcome the instinctive hesitation against actually touching the eyeball with one's fingertip.

Insertion

Contact lenses are typically inserted into the eye by placing them on the index finger with the concave side upward and raising them to touch the cornea. The other hand may be employed to keep the eye open. Problems may arise particularly with disposable soft lenses; if the surface tension between the lens and the finger is too great the lens may turn itself inside out; alternatively it may fold itself in half. When the lens first contacts the eye, a brief period of irritation may ensue as the eye acclimatizes to the lens and also (if a multi-use lens is not correctly cleansed) as dirt on the lens irritates the eye. Irrigation may help during this period, which generally should not exceed one minute. It may be noted that although with some types of contact lenses it is easy to tell if you have inserted the lens backwards (as it is usually painful and vision is impaired) you are able to determine the lens's correct position beforehand by holding the lens on the tip of your finger and squeezing the bottom of it with two fingers from your other hand, you will know you have it the correct way if the edges of the lens curve inward like a taco. If they curve out you need to flip the lens. With some types of lenses however, this is difficult as both sides look very much the same. With many lenses it is hard to tell whether they are inside out or not even when they are in the eye itself. This is because the vision and feel of the lens can be very similar for both sides. For these reasons many people try to ensure they keep visual track of the different sides of the contact lenses from the day they are open, if they suspect the lens is inside out they can always change its orientation at a later stage. It is never advisable to wear the lenses inside-out even if they feel comfortable and vision is good when doing so.

Removal
A soft lens may be removed by holding the eyelids open and grasping the lens with opposing digits. This method may cause irritation, could risk damage to the eye and may in many cases be difficult, in part due to the blink reflex. If the lens is pushed off the cornea (by touching the lens with your forefinger and looking towards your nose, moving the lens) it will buckle up (due to the difference in curvature), making it easier to grasp.

As an alternative method to grasping, once the lens is moved off the cornea to the inner corner of the eye, it can be pushed out of the eye by pressing downwards on the upper eyelid with a finger. With this method there is less risk of touching the eye with the fingers, and it may be easier for people with long fingernails.

Rigid contact lenses may be removed by pulling with one finger on the outer or lateral canthus, then blinking to cause the lens to lose adhesion. The other hand is typically cupped underneath the eye to catch the lens. There also exist small tools specifically for removing lenses, which resemble small plungers made of flexible plastic; the concave end is raised to the eye and touched to the lens, forming a seal stronger than that of the lens with the cornea and allowing the lens to be removed from the eye.

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Tags: Contact lens

Caring for Your Contact Lenses

Follow these guidelines for good care to extend the life of your contact lenses, and protect the safety and health of your eyes.

1. Always wash your hands with warm water and soap before handling your contact lenses or before touching your eyes. Any residue from lotions, soaps, or chemicals may stick to the contact lens, causing pain, irritation, or blurred vision when they are in your eyes. Dry your hands with a clean towel.
2. Wear your contact lenses as prescribed. Your eye doctor will recommend a wearing schedule specific to the type of contact lens you have selected. Only wear your contact lenses for the time recommended.
3. Clean and store your contact lenses as prescribed (in a clean case in fresh solution). Different types of contact lenses require special care and certain types of products. Always use the eye care products recommended by your eye doctor. Some eye products or eye drops are not safe for contact lens wearers.
4. Clean your contact lens case after each use with either sterile solution or hot tap water and let air dry.
5. Never use plain water directly on your contact lenses, and never put your contact lenses in your mouth to "rinse" them. Microorganisms can live in even distilled water, causing infection or sight damage.
6. Clean your contact lens by rubbing it gently with your index finger in the palm of your hand. The newest "No Rub" solutions allow you to rinse your contact lenses without rubbing.
7. If you develop an eye infection (signs include redness, burning, or excessive tearing), remove your contact lenses and discontinue use until you talk with your eye doctor. Wearing a contaminated pair of contact lenses will invite the infection to remain. After resuming contact lens use, closely follow your doctor's instructions to help prevent future eye infections.
8. Never wear another person's contact lenses, especially if they have been worn before. Using other people's contact lenses can spread any infection or particles from their eyes to yours.
9. Wearing contact lenses may cause your eyes to become more sensitive to sunlight. Wear sunglasses with total UV protection and/or a wide brim hat when in the sun.
10. To keep your eyes lubricated, use a rewetting solution or plain saline solution.
11. Do not sleep with your contact lenses in your eyes unless you are prescribed "Extended Wear" contacts! While the eyes are shut, tears cannot carry healthy amounts of oxygen to the eye, like during the waking hours. As a result, your contact lenses will become dry and stick to your eyes. If you accidentally do fall asleep with your contact lenses in, be sure to put eye drops in your eyes and wait a few minutes before trying to remove your contact lenses.
12. See your doctor annually to check your contact lens prescription.
13. Visit your eye doctor immediately if you have any sudden vision loss, persistent blurred vision, light flashes, eye pain, infection, swelling, unusual redness, or irritation.
14. When first wearing contact lenses you may be concerned about accidentally wearing them inside out. If this happens, they cannot damage your eyes, but they will be uncomfortable. To avoid this, place your contact lens on the tip of your finger so that it is forming a cup. Look at the contact lens from the side. If the cup looks like it is flaring out at the top and has a lip, your contact lens is inside out. If it looks like the letter "U", the contact lens is right side out.
15. If you think you will have trouble remembering when to change your contact lenses, ask your eye doctor if he or she has a chart for patients to track their wearing schedule. If your doctor does not have one, you may want to consider creating one on your own.
16. Put in your contact lenses before applying makeup to avoid contaminating your contact lens. When removing your makeup be sure that you wash and dry your hands. Once you have done this, remove your contact lenses and then remove your makeup.
17. Don't let the tip of solution bottles touch other surfaces, including your fingers, eyes, or contact lenses. The solution can become contaminated.

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Tags: Contact lens

A contact lens (also known simply as contacts for a pair) is a corrective, cosmetic, or therapeutic lens usually placed on the cornea of the eye.
Types of contact lenses:
Contact lenses are classified in many different manners:
CORRECTIVE
COSMETIC
THERAPEUTIC

MATERIAL:The first contact lenses were made of glass, which caused eye irritation, and were not wearable for extended periods of time. But when William Feinbloom introduced lenses made from polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA or Perspex/Plexiglass), contact lenses became much more convenient. These PMMA lenses are commonly referred to as "hard" lenses (this term is not used for other types of contact lens). 

In 1998, 'silicone hydrogels' became available. Silicone hydrogels have both the extremely high oxygen permeability of silicone and the comfort and clinical performance of the conventional hydrogels.Silicone also makes the lens surface highly hydrophobic and less "wettable."

Extended Wear Contacts Lenses

Silicone Hydrogel Lenses

Silicone is oxygen permeable. Silicone hydrogel lenses use both their water and polymer content to transmit oxygen to the eye.

The benefits to wearers include comfort and convenience. Silicone hydrogel contact lenses contain less water and deliver more oxygen to the eye than traditional hydrogel lenses. As a result, they aren't as prone to causing dehydration. For some people who wear their lenses for long days, this can mean better end-of-day comfort and allow for overnight wear. Some brands of silicone hydrogel lenses are approved for 30 days of continuous wear.

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Tags: Contact lens