There’s a lot to learn when you first start out with contact lenses. What’s the best way to put them in and take them out? How do you properly clean and store them? Even people who’ve been wearing contacts for a long time can sometimes forget these things or form bad habits. This can lead to a poor lens-wearing experience, including dry, irritated, watery, or gritty-feeling eyes and frequent infections.
Fortunately, a new series of short videos from The Contact Lens Institute (CLI) can help teach new contact lens wearers the ropes and get long-time wearers back on track.
These videos are part of CLI’s The EASY Way (Eyes, Awareness, Safety and You) program, which promotes healthy contact lens wear and care habits through clear and engaging education.
In most of the videos, the eye doctor speaks directly to the camera, addressing the audience, and discussing healthy contact lens wear and care habits. However, others present their information in slightly different ways, such as acting out an interaction between a patient and the eye doctor, or using LEGO people to convey the information in the video.
Each video runs no more than 2 minutes and goes over all the basics: cleaning and storing your contacts, replacing them according to their designated schedule, and following your eye doctor’s instructions. They’re an invaluable way to quickly and memorably speak to patients about the difference between a successful lens wear experience and one which may be riddled with infections and discomfort.
Want to learn more about these videos and CLI’s EASY Way program for healthy contact lens wear and care? Contact our Lincoln Park eye doctors at Eye Mechanix, or give us a call at 773-857-1260 today!
Q&A
Can contact lenses do long-term damage to your eyes?
Yes. But only if patients fail to clean and properly store their lenses, or if they wear them past their recommended replacement time. Improper use of your contacts can cause harmful bacteria to grow and cause an eye infection. If untreated, these infections can cause serious long-term damage to your eyes.
Can contact lenses freeze on an airplane?
If contact lenses are left in checked bags, and it gets below about -15 degrees celsius, they can freeze. However, as long as the package the contact lenses are in is sealed, they won’t be damaged and will remain sterile. Simply let them thaw at room temperature and they should be ready to wear as usual.