The #1 Contact Lens Mistake We All Make

By Rigel Celeste on October 5th, 2009

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32 million people in this country wear contact lenses, that’s about 12% of the population. Contacts have been around for years and aside from the occasional ‘getting them in/out’ learning curve they’re pretty easy to use, right? Yes, they are easy to use. So easy in fact that we’ve gotten lax in our lens-care routines. Whether you think you’re super diligent or know you could do better, chances are you’re making at least one of these major mistakes:

Not cleaning/replacing your contact lens case. You should clean your lens case every time you use it and completely replace it every 3 months. This is the #1 most common mistake, which is scary considering statistics show 70% of lens cases are contaminated with bacteria that can cause eye infections, scarring, and even blindness.
Using tap water to clean your lenses. The problem with tap water is both the potential for harmful bacteria and all the impurities it contains. Over time those impurities can build up on your lenses and cause eye irritation and discomfort.
Leaving your lenses in too long. You might not be able to feel contacts while you’re wearing them but they’re still foreign objects stuck to the surface of your eyeball. Despite improved technology they do impair oxygen exchange and the eyes ability to fight infection, so take them out as often as you’re supposed to — no excuses.

(Photo courtesy of eyesogreen on Flickr)