At the beginning of the pandemic there was some confusion as to whether wearing contact lenses was safe, due to the spread of coronavirus.

It has been confirmed that there is no evidence to suggest there is any correlation between wearing contact lenses and the spread of coronavirus. Any contact lens wearers who went back to wearing glasses, can now wear their contact lenses in confidence, and risk free.

Whilst it is completely safe to wear your contact lenses, it is important that you maintain your contact lens hygiene and wear schedule and help prevent any eye infections.

Wash Your Hands

Hand washing has been a big topic since the start of the pandemic, and this is something that has always been advised before handling your contact lenses. Thoroughly washing and drying your hands helps to remove bacteria that can be transferred to your lenses.

Stick To Your Schedule

There are many different contact lenses available, each of which can be worn for different lengths of time before changing. It is important that you stick to the wear schedule specific to your lenses as advised by the optometrist. Some contact lenses are made from a more breathable material and can therefore be worn for longer periods of time,

Clean Your Lenses Correctly

Reusable contact lenses require cleaning when removed. These should be cleaned using fresh contact lens solution in the palm of your hand to remove any bacteria and debris that may have become attached to the lenses throughout the day. Store your contact lenses in fresh solution when you are not wearing them.

Use Recommended Products

As all contact lenses are different and made from different materials, the products you can use with them are different too. It is advised to only use the products such as solutions and eye drops recommended by your optometrist to ensure they are suitable for your contact lenses.

Remove Your Lenses Around Water

It is advised to remove your contact lenses before encountering water. Some bacteria found in water can become attached to your contact lenses and cause an infection which attacks the cornea. Understandably there are some activities where it is not ideal to wear your glasses, such as swimming but there are now products such as prescription swimming goggles available instead of wearing your contact lenses.

Have Regular Appointments

Keeping up to date with your contact lens appointments is important. Much like with your eye examinations, a contact lens appointment not only checks that your lens prescription is up to date, but also looks at the health of your eye’s surface. Our practices are fully open, and have resumed all contact lens appointment services with social distancing measures in place.

For more information regarding contact lenses and booking your aftercare appointment, contact your local Bush Opticians today.