Improper care threatens with eye infections! How to store lenses in a container and without it? What can replace the solution for storing contact lenses

Be patient when starting to wear contact lenses. It may take a few days for your eyes to get used to them. Take them out as soon as you get home from work or school to give your eyes a rest.
If you accidentally doze off with contact lenses in, place drops in your eyes and remove the lenses if necessary.
To avoid inserting contact lenses backwards, place the lens on your fingertip so that it is shaped like a cup. Look at contact lenses from the side. If the lens looks like it's curved upwards, it's the reverse side of the lens. If it looks like a "U", the lens is on the correct side.
When traveling, take a solution with you for contact lenses, case, glasses and eye drops - just in case. You never know if you will have problems with your eyes, and contact lenses are expensive and it is a pity to throw that money away on new lenses. There is less chance that the solution will leak out if you use a case with snaps. If the airline allows you to carry on the plane only a large number of solution, you can use a resealable plastic bag.
You should follow your doctor's advice on how long to wear contact lenses before changing them to new ones. If your doctor tells you to wear them for 2 weeks, then you should only wear them for 2 weeks. Don't try to save money by wearing more, your eyesight is more important.
Before inserting contact lenses into your eyes, make sure your hands and contact lenses are clean.
It is recommended that contact lenses be immersed in the solution and allowed to air dry. Saliva or water should not be used for this purpose, as the microorganisms present in them can lead to damage to vision or infection. In the event that you feel symptoms of an eye infection such as burning, redness, or watery eyes, you should remove your contact lenses and do not use them until you have consulted with an optometrist.
You must follow your advice eye doctor and wear contact lenses only for the period recommended by him. Cleaning and storing contact lenses as instructed by your doctor also constitute important part daily care behind the lenses. Since the care required depends on the type of contact lens, always use the care products recommended by your doctor. By experimenting and using eye drops on your own, you may end up choosing ones that are not safe for you.
If you think you'll forget to change your contact lenses, talk to your optometrist and ask if they have a special chart for patients. If your doctor does not have one, you can make it yourself.
If dirt gets into your eye/contact lenses, move your contact lens, look both ways and roll your eyes.
If you purchase a new lens case, be sure to wash it with an unscented antibacterial soap. It is possible that the case was previously opened and touched.

Every lens wearer is familiar with the situation when you spend the night away from home, and there is no multi-purpose liquid at hand. And this can happen not only after a stormy party, when you have to spend the night with friends, but also on the road, for example, or during a vacation. What is there, even at home sometimes you have to (categorically I do not recommend doing this). So here it is what can replace the lens solution in such situations? Are lenses without solution doomed to be thrown away? Or will you still have to sleep in them, suffering in the morning from painful consequences? Let's try to find out, but first let's see what the manufacturers themselves say about storage.

Let's make a reservation right away: do not believe the misconceptions that lenses should be stored in a refrigerator or some dark place. Many carriers think so, but this is not true.

Do not store appliances in ordinary tap water or physiological saline, because it will not give any disinfecting effect. Use only multipurpose solutions.
Do not rinse the container with plain water - it contains a lot of bacteria.
Do not store lenses in glasses, shot glasses or other unsuitable containers - only special containers prevent sticking and drying.
You can not use the liquid twice.

As you can see, the rules are extremely simple. But what if you don't have contact lens solution on hand? There are several options, but each provides for a violation of at least one of the listed rules. And if there is no other way out, but you don’t want to remove and throw away the devices, then here are a few options for getting out of a predicament. But remember: it's better not to do this!

Rules for storing lenses are extremely simple

What can replace the lens solution?

Multi-Purpose Disinfection Liquid can be replaced by:

distilled water with salt;
saline;
eye drops(for example, "Clean tear");
saliva (undesirable);
plain water (generally undesirable);
nothing - put the devices in a dry container (categorically I do not recommend).

To be fair, let's take a look at each option. Of course, in any case, we will not make a full-fledged solution for lenses at home, but these methods are quite acceptable as a temporary measure.

We use water and salt

A few tips first:

do not use tap water;
tightly close the container replacing the container to prevent the lenses from drying out without solution;
do not overdo it with salt;
observe the proportions indicated below;
do not keep instruments in this solution for too long.

Everything seems to be. In order to prepare such a mixture with your own hands, prepare the following:

a container that can be tightly closed (or two, if different diopters);
9 g salt;
1 liter of water;
stove.

We make liquid for storage at home

What we are going to prepare will actually be saline (for the poor, so to speak). From such a solution (as well as from ordinary water), lenses can swell, especially modern silicone hydrogel lenses.

Step 1. Disinfect the prepared container - wash thoroughly, then boil for 10 minutes.

Step 2 Then start preparing the solution at home. Pour 100 ml of water (preferably filtered) into a saucepan, boil and add salt in small portions (without iodine and other additives). It is important that each subsequent portion is added only after the previous one is completely dissolved.

Add salt in small amounts

Step 3 Cool the solution, pour it into a disinfected container. Remove the lenses, rinse them with prepared salt water and lower them into a container. Close the latter tightly (if you use, say, a glass for this, then cover it with a paper sheet).

Note! All items that come into contact with the solution must also be disinfected! Therefore, boil the spoon with which salt will be added to eliminate germs. Also remember that for rigid models you need to use cold water from the tap, but for soft ones this is unacceptable, because it can lead to spoilage or, worse, to infection.
Step 4 In the morning, it is advisable to place the devices in a real solution and hold there for at least 2-3 hours. If this is not possible, then when putting on, carefully watch your eyes: if there are the slightest sign dryness or discomfort, remove appliances immediately.

In the morning, it is advisable to place the devices in a real solution.

We use saline

If there is a pharmacy nearby, then you are lucky, because you do not have to cook anything. First, a multi-purpose liquid can be sold there. Secondly, if one was not found, then take a regular saline solution (NaCl 9%), which will certainly be found in any pharmacy. About 15 years ago, when lenses were already actively used, and special solutions had not yet been imported, many people used saline solution for storage (of course, then the lenses were different, more rigid).

Procedure in this case similar to above:

disinfect the container;
pour saline;
place appliances;
close;

Once again I remind you that all these “recipes” can be resorted to only as a last resort, when there is no way to find a purchased solution. In addition, sometimes - with allergies, hypersensitivity eyes, suppuration, etc. – These liquids must not be used.

Saline (NaCI 0.9%) is another option

Using eye drops

Another relatively safe (relatively!) way that many unlucky "lens carriers" resort to. It consists in using special drops (there are some that are moisturizing) or something like "Vizina clean tears". Of course, this does not disinfect the devices, but it can save them from drying out.

VIZIN Pure tear

Using saliva

If you don’t have suitable drops on hand, and it’s impossible to prepare a saline solution with your own hands, you can place contact lenses in your own saliva. It contains substances that are exclusively natural for the body, from which the next morning there will certainly not be a burning sensation in the eyes. But resorting to this method, I repeat, is categorically not recommended - microbes.

What else can you store lenses in if there is no solution?

You can put them in distilled water. The option is risky, because even after boiling, bacteria can be in the water. Therefore, in the morning I advise you to place the lenses in a purchased solution. If you put them on right away, then the sensations will be the most unpleasant (believe me, I myself went through this).

You can also resort to hydrogen peroxide, on the basis of which special cleaning fluids are produced. But after placing the devices in hydrogen peroxide, they should be thoroughly rinsed, otherwise there will be a burning sensation or other, more serious consequences. For neutralization, special tablets are used (which are unlikely to be at hand if there is not even a solution with a container).

Video - Lens cleaning solution

Note! Some modern models lenses are built in peroxide neutralizers that convert it into plain water to avoid burning in the eyes.

In any case, without disinfection, devices that have "spent the night" in hydrogen peroxide should not be inserted into the eyes, as this can lead to chemical injury.

Finally, I read on one forum that one of the "lens carriers" in emergency simply removed the instruments and placed them in a dry sealed container. They were dry, of course, so when they got home, this man filled them with a real multi-purpose solution and kept them for 12 hours. Very plausible, since I also reanimated dried lenses in this way several times.

As a conclusion

As a result, I note that not a single agent will replace a disinfectant liquid. If lenses could be stored in salt water or saliva, then no one would bother with solutions like that. But still somewhat conditional safe options Yes, and I hope you now know the answer to the question “What to do if there is no lens solution?”. And last tip: if you often find yourself in a situation where neither a special liquid nor a container is at hand, maybe it's time to think about one-day products that can be removed and immediately thrown away?

Contact optics for vision correction modern approach to the eternal problem of age-related or genetic deterioration of vision. How well you care for contact lenses depends not only on the effectiveness of vision correction, but also on the health of your eyes.

How to properly care for contact lenses - read in this article.

What you need to know about lenses

Contact lenses are modern facility vision correction. With their help, the main refractive errors are effectively corrected - myopia (nearsightedness), hypermetropia (farsightedness), presbyopia ( age-related farsightedness) and astigmatism. Externally, contact lenses are a transparent thin film, the back surface of which completely repeats the shape of the cornea, and the front surface corrects vision.

There is a huge variety of contact lenses on the modern ophthalmic market. First of all, contact lenses are classified into two large groups:

hard;
soft.

Soft contact lenses are the most common form of contact contact correction view among consumers. They are 35-80% water, which gives them flexibility, softness and high oxygen permeability. No eyes in the cornea blood vessels, and it receives oxygen directly from the air. Therefore, contact lens material must allow oxygen to pass through. enough for the cornea.

The more high rate oxygen permeability have soft lenses the better for eye health.

Depending on the material and manufacturing technology of contact lenses, their wearing mode, service life, as well as the rules for caring for them can be different. Soft contact lenses are usually made from two types of materials:

Hydrogel. it polymer material characterized by softness in contact with water, good wettability. These material properties provide comfort while wearing and eliminate the feeling foreign body in the eye. Lenses made from hydrogel can have low or high hydration capacity (water content). Hydrogel lenses with low content water (38-45%) have low oxygen permeability, so they can not be worn for more than 12-14 hours. The disadvantages of hydrogel lenses are low strength and susceptibility to germination by microorganisms.
Silicone hydrogel. This is an innovative material that began to be used for the manufacture of contact lenses relatively recently. Some of the silicone content in these contact lenses makes them harder and stronger. In addition, the silicone hydrogel material is more oxygen permeable and does not dry out during wear.

To give the desired shade to the eyes, special colored contact lenses are used. They are especially popular among young people. Tinted contact lenses can also correct vision.

Wear mode specifics

Soft contact lenses have various terms and wearing modes, which are usually indicated on the product packaging. These rules set by the manufacturer must be strictly adhered to. Ophthalmologists do not recommend exceeding the period of wearing contact lenses, as this is fraught with dangerous complications, which in advanced cases can lead to poor eye health and even rapid loss of vision.

Soft contact lenses are divided into three groups according to the terms of wearing:

Traditional contact lenses. These are the earliest soft contact lenses, they appeared before other types. The term of their wearing is about 0.5 - 1 year. The cost of these lenses is low, but they require careful care. In modern times, the popularity of traditional contact lenses is rapidly declining.
Planned replacement contact lenses. These contact lenses are more marketable than their traditional counterparts due to their countless benefits. The term of wearing lenses of a planned replacement can be different - 2 weeks, a month, a quarter. These lenses are made from various materials and can be various indicators water content and oxygen permeability. When buying these lenses, you need to pay special attention to these indicators.
Daily contact lenses. The most expensive but safe type of soft contact lenses. Ideal for those who do not want to constantly care for lenses. However, not everyone can afford it. Daily contact lenses are very convenient on trips, business trips, travel, as you do not need to take a container and care products with you. After removal, these lenses are disposed of, and new ones are put on the next day.

Hydrogel contact lenses can be safely worn for about 8-12 hours. In no case should they be worn for more than 15 hours, and even more so to sleep in them, since in this case there are high risks of developing corneal hypoxia.

Silicone hydrogel lenses can be worn even during sleep if they have a high oxygen permeability. Today, on the market for contact vision correction, you can purchase extended-wear lenses that can be worn for 6, 14 or even 30 days.

Proper Care for contact lenses will allow you not only to maintain eye health and comfort while wearing, but also extend the life of the product. If you do not want your lenses to deteriorate prematurely, you need to take care of them correctly. As a rule, care is required for traditional lenses, as well as planned replacement lenses. Daily care lenses do not require.

Daily cleansing

Before any manipulations with contact lenses, it is necessary to fulfill the main condition - to maintain hand hygiene. Hands should be washed thoroughly with soap and running water. Soap is desirable to use antibacterial (without various fragrances and chemical impurities).

To clean multi-day contact lenses, you need to purchase an all-purpose solution, a storage case, and lens removal tweezers. Contact lenses should be cleaned daily immediately after removal. Purification is carried out using a universal, multi-purpose solution.

Daily lens cleaning is as follows:

Place the contact lens in the palm of your hand.
On the inner surface lenses, you need to drip a few drops of a universal solution.
Wipe the inside and outside lenses with fingertips.
Pour into a clean container a small amount of fresh solution and place contact lenses in it.

To prevent infection in the eyes, it is necessary to take care not only of the cleanliness of contact lenses, but also of the cleanliness of the container. After putting on contact lenses in the morning, the solution from the container must be poured out, the container rinsed with clean running water and left to dry in a well-ventilated area with low humidity.

Soft contact lenses need to be treated with products that are designed to care for soft contact lenses. In no case should they be treated with solutions and products for hard contact lenses, as their shape can be deformed and the lenses will quickly become unusable.

If your eyes are prone to dryness, then it is advisable to purchase lens solutions with a special moisturizing ingredient. Also, you should additionally purchase eye drops for moisturizing the eyes. It is not recommended to instill eye drops with a universal solution, as this can lead to irritation and inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eye.

Enzymatic cleaning

It is known that for the production of contact lenses using hydrogel or newer and more modern silicone hydrogel material. This material has a porous structure, and its pores are regularly clogged with particles of dirt, dust, as well as protein and lipid deposits of the eye. These contaminants form an opaque film on the lens surface and then adversely affect the quality of vision correction. To clean contact lenses from these contaminants, enzymatic (enzymatic) cleaning is performed. It is especially necessary for cleaning contact lenses with a wearing period of more than three months. Cleaning should be done once a week.

In order to clean contact lenses from protein deposits are used enzyme tablets. They effectively break down various organic compounds and remove them from the porous structure of contact lenses. Thus, the surface of the lenses after cleaning becomes completely transparent.

If you do not regularly clean contact lenses from protein deposits using enzyme tablets, microorganisms begin to multiply rapidly in them, which leads to backfire in the form of inflammatory diseases of the eyes, burning and pain in the eyes, a feeling of "veil" before the eyes and discomfort when wearing contact lenses. Enzymatic cleaning is necessary, first of all, for traditional lenses and lenses of planned replacement.

Enzymatic cleaning of contact lenses is performed as follows:

To carry out the procedure, it is necessary to prepare several tablets, tweezers and a container. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before cleaning.
The container in which the cleaning will be carried out must be rinsed with water and filled with fresh multi-purpose solution. Instead of a cleaning solution, you can also use hydrogen peroxide or saline.
Take the enzyme tablets out of the packaging and dip them with tweezers into the solution container until completely dissolved.
Place contact lenses in the container for a certain amount of time(this time may vary, and it is usually indicated by the manufacturer on the product packaging). The container must be closed during cleaning.
After cleaning, contact lenses and the container must be washed with water. After the procedure, the lenses should lie in a container with a multi-purpose solution for about 2 hours, only then they can be worn.

hydrogel material. a high percentage water content usually absorbs large quantity protein and lipid deposits. However, hydrogel lenses with a high hydration capacity cannot be subjected to enzymatic cleaning for a long time, since particles of these substances often remain in the lens and then cause eye irritation during wear. The incompatibility of these lenses with enzymatic cleaners significantly reduces their lifespan.

Extended wear contact lenses can be worn continuously for a certain period of time. However, it is recommended to take them off at night at least once a week to allow for a thorough cleaning and disinfection. In connection with the round-the-clock wearing of these lenses, there is a huge risk of infectious eye diseases.

Disinfection

Disinfection of contact lenses is mandatory procedure, which ensures the safety of your eyes and protects them from the development of inflammatory diseases.

Most often carried out chemical disinfection using specific disinfectants (for example, benzalkonium chloride, chlorhexidine, polyquad, dimed).

For effective sterilization of contact lenses, as well as for removing various deposits and preservatives from the surface of the lenses, a peroxide system is often used. It is especially advisable to use it for contact lenses with a wearing period of more than one month. Contact lenses are cleaned with a peroxide system once every 1-2 weeks.

The main component of the peroxide system is a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide, which is able to effectively destroy wide range bacteria, viruses and fungi. In addition, the peroxide system does not contain various preservatives, so it is well suited for people with sensitive eyes and suffering allergic reactions on certain components of cleaning solutions. The peroxide system should not be used to disinfect soft contact lenses with high content moisture, as this can significantly damage them.

When using a peroxide system, you must carefully follow all the rules. Be sure to wait for the neutralization of hydrogen peroxide and do not remove the lens from the solution ahead of schedule. Peroxide particles can then get into the eye and cause burning and other discomfort.

Heat treatment is also used to disinfect lenses. It is carried out in a water bath for 20 minutes. However, this method of disinfection is not recommended, since regular heating leads to rapid wear of the material from which the lenses are made, as well as a change in their optical properties. Such disinfection can only be carried out for lenses with low hydrophilicity and only for patients with allergic reactions to the components of cleaning solutions.

Storage

It is not recommended to keep soft contact lenses for a long time. outdoors. The evaporation of water, which is present in their composition, in large quantities, will lead to drying and deformation of the material. Such lenses will then be impossible to wear. A special container with a solution is designed to store lenses. The container is necessary to prevent the material from which the lenses are made from drying out and saturating them with moisture.

The container must always be kept sterile. After use, the solution must be poured out and a new one poured. After pouring the solution, the container must be processed disinfectant and dry.

The container should be changed monthly. The same is recommended to do with tweezers to remove lenses from the container.

How to care for colored contact lenses?

Special attention you need to pay attention to the rules for the care of colored lenses. They are somewhat different from the rules for caring for ordinary transparent contact lenses.

Since colored contact lenses have a layer of pigment, they must be taken care of very carefully. To care for colored contact lenses, special non-aggressive products are required that will not damage the pigment layer. This is especially true for disinfection. Do not use peroxide solutions to sterilize colored lenses.

Consequences arising from improper care

Compliance with all the rules and nuances of lens care will allow you to avoid many eye problems. It can be various complications caused by neglect of the rules of hygiene and the mode of wearing contact lenses.

If you do not clean your lenses daily or do not disinfect them at the right time, there is a huge risk of inflammatory eye diseases. These include conjunctivitis, keratitis, blepharitis and other diseases.

Without proper cleaning of contact lenses from dirt and protein deposits, the transparency of the lens decreases and, consequently, the quality of vision correction deteriorates. In addition, protein deposits clog the pores of the material, which leads to a decrease in the oxygen permeability of the lenses and the development of corneal hypoxia due to insufficient oxygen supply.

Video

conclusions

Care of contact lenses is a mandatory daily procedure. Compliance with all the rules and nuances will allow you to avoid the appearance of many eye diseases and complications. Only with proper care will your lenses retain their quality and optical properties for a long time.

Contact lenses for many have become the only and indispensable alternative to glasses. It is they who make it possible to live and work in peace, without thinking all the time that something could happen to the glasses at any moment. However, any contact lenses require adequate care. How to provide it further.

Elementary Rules

It's about, certainly not about disposable contact lenses that can be removed and thrown away. Proper care is necessary for those lenses that are designed to be worn for more than 3 days. This is due to the fact that as a result of their use:

fat and other deposits form on the surface, which are invisible in the first days, and then can distort vision, clouding the picture and muffling objects;
the delicate surface of the eyes may be damaged, on which small objects will fall - as a result of which irritation, including an infectious type, is possible;
possible deterioration appearance as a result of the fact that the lenses are dirty.

So, the first and most important thing is daily washing. Clean each side of the lens for at least 5 seconds using the multifunction lenses. It is important that the brand of the lens and the cleanser match each other, because otherwise optimal cleaning simply will not be achieved.

However, based on the individual chemical composition of the tear, as well as the schedule for wearing this useful accessory, a specialist may well indicate the need additional care. Let's say using 3 drops of the solution provided on each of the lens surfaces and then rubbing for 20 seconds before cleaning.

It is thanks to this measure that even the smallest specks and potentially harmful deposits will not accumulate on the lens surface.

Walkthrough

Proper care of contact lenses is much easier than it might seem at first glance. First of all, before starting this process, as well as using the container, wash your hands with soap. It is recommended to use exactly the one that is characterized by an antibacterial effect, and is also liquid agent hygiene and does not contain fragrances.

After that, it is necessary to wait for some time, no more than 10 seconds, and carefully wash off the soap composition. Be sure to wipe your hands exclusively with a lint-free towel. This is necessary so that it does not appear on the surface of contact lenses, because problems may arise, up to infection. eyeball.

The following norms, which must be unconditionally observed daily, are as follows:

any of the compartments available in a special container for contact lenses is recommended to be filled with fresh composition for disinfection;
In order to avoid confusing one contact lens with another, it is recommended to resort to a little trick. It consists in starting to use and remove these irreplaceable accessories exclusively from the same eyeball. So, right-handers always start with the right;
care for objects, in particular cleaning them, is always recommended only after they have been removed from the eyes. This will be the safest and, at the same time, provide 100% protection against pollution;
contact lenses are placed only on clean and dry palms. It is in this position that they should be dripped with 2-3, and sometimes more, drops of a special cleaning solution;
the next step is a thorough but gentle rubbing of the back and front surfaces with one finger;
due to a certain amount of additional drops of the composition, the contact lens should be washed.

Only after that it is permissible to place the presented objects in a clean container, the care of which will be discussed later. With the second object, you should do exactly the same, repeating the entire algorithm to the smallest detail. After that, it is necessary to close the container and leave the lenses in it for the night.

At first, it is quite difficult to memorize the presented sequence, but it is quite logical, and therefore after a maximum of a week it will be brought to automatism. In order to facilitate the process of caring for contact lenses, it is recommended to make small reminders that will indicate the need for a particular action.

Video - Contact lens care. Caring for your lens case

Proper care of the container is an indispensable rule

Each owner of the presented accessories knows exactly how important it is to adequately preserve and care for them. A typical mistake is that the vast majority often remember only looking after contact lenses, while not remembering their own container.

It must remain invariably purified, just like the objects themselves. it required condition, because otherwise the contamination from them may well be on the means for correcting vision. This is what will provoke a persistent feeling of lack of comfort within the framework of their wearing. In this regard, it is recommended to observe a certain amount elementary rules to ensure the care and storage of lenses, as well as maintaining the perfect cleanliness of the container.

These rules include the following:

when putting on contact lenses, it is recommended to pour out the solution that was in the container;
be sure to rinse the container with a fresh disinfectant;
leave the container to air dry. In this case, be sure to place it exclusively on a cleaned napkin upside down;
regular replacement of the container. We are talking about a period of at least 1 time per month.

It should be remembered that the container must be dried in a perfectly ventilated area. At the same time, it must meet one more condition, namely, it must be characterized by a low degree of humidity. Such parameters are typical for the following rooms, for example, bedrooms or children's rooms, but by no means kitchens. The use of tap water as a container cleaner or care product

An exceptionally special solution, characterized by many functions, can help to correctly clean not only the lenses themselves, but also the container. Recommended in without fail follow all the points indicated in the instructions for the solution. Only in this case can we talk about adequate care for the container.

Additional rules

The lens will be much easier from the surface of the eyeball, if you first, 5-10 minutes before, drip special drops with a moisturizing effect there. This will guarantee the maximum long preservation its efficiency.

In the case when daily wear is indicated, it is imperative to remove contact lenses for the night period. After the desired period of wearing the presented accessories has ended, you will need to throw them away and replace them with a new pair. Lenses with an expired wearing period may well provoke a lack of comfort, aggravation visual functions and other harm to health.

The following rule applies to women. So, if you need to use cosmetics, then it is recommended to apply it after putting it on. It should be removed after the lenses have been removed. It is also desirable to choose just such cosmetics, which contains a note that it is 100% suitable for use when using contact lenses.

Other rules to be followed include the following:

even the smallest drops of agents such as aerosols should not be allowed to fall on the lens area, cosmetic preparations and any cream. This can provoke not only severe contamination of the lenses, but also irritation in the eye area;
it is undesirable to change the composition, designed specifically for lens care, without first consulting with a specialist;
before instillation into the eyes of any medicines, you should consult an ophthalmologist who will indicate whether this is acceptable or not.

How successful and safe will permanent use contact lenses, depends solely on whether a person will follow all the instructions given by the specialist. It is not recommended to forget about the next visit to the ophthalmologist solely because the accessories do not cause even a hint of discomfort.

As part of the consultation, a specialist can determine a set of highlights. For example, how the eyes react to the use of lenses. In addition, it is the ophthalmologist who will be able to timely notice possible deviations from normal state and will give all the required recommendations and answer the questions that arise.

Rules for weekly care

In addition to daily care, contact lenses need more active measures of influence, which should be provided once a week. For this, enzyme tablets are used, with the help of which protein deposits are removed. This is what guarantees the transparency of the lenses, as well as ease of use.

So, you will need to fill a new container or specialized cups with a clean multi-purpose solution. In each of the cells, it is necessary to dilute and stir 1 enzyme tablet. Next, you should remove, clean and wash each of the lenses, after which they are immersed in a pre-prepared composition.

It is important to pay attention to the fact that:

lenses designed to be worn daytime, with a moisture content of 38 to 42%, leave in solution for a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 8 hours. At the same time, extremely polluted objects - for 10 hours, but not more than 12;
lenses designed specifically for prolonged wear and are characterized by a moisture content of 55 to 75%, leave in the composition for only 10-30 minutes. If we are talking about heavily polluted objects, then the period should be increased to 1-2 hours.

After that, the lenses are pulled out of the container, cleaned and washed with pure solution. What remains after the procedure is poured out of the container and washed thoroughly. Then fill the container pure composition, in which the lenses are immersed all night or not less than 240 minutes.

After that, the used solution is also poured out, and the container is filled with a clean solution. Only then can the contact lenses be considered ready for use. The algorithm presented here is mandatory for the weekly repetition.

All about colored lenses

Apart from conventional lenses, there are also those that have a special substrate. They are recommended to be stored in a physiological type solution. We are talking about the composition of 0.9% NaCl. The weekly cleaning of the presented objects is carried out according to the following algorithm:

In addition to the standard scheme It is acceptable to use modern cleansers that also contain hydrogen peroxide. In this case, any contact lenses, both monochrome and color, will be in perfect condition. This is necessary so that they can ensure perfect vision and eye health in general.

Today, more and more people with vision problems prefer contact lenses. They have become a great alternative to traditional glasses and have already proven their worth. high efficiency. Unlike ordinary glasses, framed by a beautiful frame, snow does not stick to them, they do not fog up and do not get wet in the rain. But, like any other thing, they require careful handling. In today's publication, we will try to figure out what lenses are, how to choose them correctly and how to care for them.

Existing varieties

Thanks to the rapid development medical technologies, in modern optics is represented a wide range of eye lenses. Depending on the duration of wearing, they are divided into:

Daytime, necessarily removed before bedtime.
Flexible, where you can spend no more than two nights.
Extended wear designed for 24/7 use.
Continuous use, which can be left on for 30 days.

In addition, there is another classification based on the timing of replacement. According to her, there are the following types of lenses for the eyes:

One-day - put on in the morning, and thrown into the bucket in the evening.
Traditional, designed for six or twelve months.
Scheduled replacement, used no longer than thirty days.

Depending on the purpose, therapeutic, cosmetic and optical lenses. The former are used in the treatment process, the latter temporarily change the shade of the iris, and the third correct vision.

Depending on the material used to make lenses, they can be divided into:

Rigid, made of silicone. They perfectly keep their shape for a long time, have a long service life and are resistant to mechanical damage. Caring for eye lenses belonging to this category is quite simple. It comes down to regular rinsing with cleaning solutions.
Soft. These products are very popular with people all over the world. In turn, they are divided into silicone hydrogel and hydrogel. The first perfectly pass oxygen and are completely safe for human eye. They can be worn from two weeks to one month. The latter are characterized by a soft and flexible structure. They are designed for daytime wear. Sleeping in such lenses can cause corneal hypoxia.

How to choose lenses for the eyes?

To avoid problems, before visiting an optician, you should consult with a professional ophthalmologist. In addition to the standard eye examination, he will conduct additional examinations, allowing to identify all existing pathologies and choose the most effective lenses. In the selection process, the specialist must consider:

Intraocular pressure.
Diopter value.

Before choosing lenses for the eyes, the ophthalmologist must analyze the curvature of the cornea and evaluate peripheral vision. So that their wearing does not cause discomfort, it is imperative to determine the size and material from which they are made. Before buying, you should be offered the first test pair. It is put on for only fifteen minutes, after which the specialist evaluates the condition of the eyes and decides whether they suit you or not.

How to use lenses, the optometrist will tell. He will also show you how to take them off and put them on. In addition, there are a few simple rules that everyone who wears lenses must follow. You need to work with them only with clean, dry hands with short-cut nails. It is recommended to wear them in a well-lit room. It is better to do this over a table covered with a clean napkin. With the left hand, you need to carry out all the manipulations on the left, and with the right hand - on the right.

Before putting on contact lenses, they are placed on the tip of the finger and carefully examined. Slightly turned out edges indicate that you have the wrong side in front of you. They must be put on very carefully. This is usually done with the index and middle fingers. After the lens is in place, it is advisable to close your eyes and make several rotations with them.

Contraindications for use

Before using lenses, it is necessary to consult with a specialist. Since it is he who will determine exactly whether you can wear them. Contraindications to the use of lenses are:

Tuberculosis, bronchitis, asthma.
Allergy.
Sinusitis, influenza, SARS, runny nose and colds.
Glaucoma and cataract.
Obstruction lacrimal ducts and dacryocystitis.
Lens subluxation and strabismus with an angle of curvature exceeding 15 degrees.
Scleritis, keratitis, conjunctivitis, blepharitis and others inflammatory diseases organs of vision.

Soft lenses, designed for thirty days, three months or six months, need regular cleaning and disinfection. It is advisable to carry out these procedures immediately after removing the products. For these purposes, it is recommended to use multifunctional solutions. The lens is removed with dry, clean hands, moistened with a special liquid, wiped and rinsed. After that, it is placed in a container, poured with a solution, closed and left for ten minutes.

As for the care of colored lenses for the eyes, it should be more delicate. Since the surface of these products has thin layer pigment, they must be cleaned with non-aggressive products.

Rigid gas-permeable products made from polymethylacrylate require special handling. This material reduces wettability, so its surface is wiped special formulations forming plaque. Proper eye lens care prevents the accumulation of lipids in which pathogenic microorganisms can multiply.

Everyday cleaning

This procedure is carried out in several stages. First, the lens is removed and carefully placed on the palm of your hand. From above, a few drops of a special solution are applied to it, selected taking into account the material from which a particular product is made. After that, the lens is gently wiped with fingertips and immersed in a reservoir filled with a special solution. To minimize the risk of contamination, you need to keep the container itself clean.

However, it should be noted that such manipulations should not be carried out with all types of products. For example, daily lenses eyes do not need any care at all. They are simply removed and thrown into a bucket.

Enzymatic cleaning and disinfection

For effective removal accumulated protein deposits, some types of lenses are recommended to be processed weekly using special tablets. To do this, the required amount of multifunctional liquid is poured into the container and the products are immersed in it. Enzyme tablets diluted in a small volume of solution are also sent there. All this is left in a hermetically sealed container. The duration of this treatment depends on the moisture level of the lenses. If it varies from 55 to 75%, then it will take two hours. Products with a moisture level of 38-42% require a longer processing time. They are kept in solution for ten hours.

Disinfection is a systematic eye lens care procedure that provides comfortable wearing and performs a protective function. It is carried out by applying special solutions. As a rule, benzalkonium chloride, polyquad or chlorhexidine are used for these purposes. Often for effective elimination pollution use a peroxide system. Disinfection is indicated for lenses that are more than thirty days old. It is carried out no more than once every two weeks using solutions made on the basis of three percent hydrogen peroxide.

Proper care of your eye lenses will help prevent the development of serious illnesses caused by pathogenic microorganisms. It is necessary to store such products in a special tank filled with a special solution.

Before putting on the lenses, they must be carefully inspected for damage, specks or lint. If their surface is completely clean, then they are suitable for use.

You need to wear lenses in strict accordance with the instructions of the ophthalmologist. This must be done with dry, clean hands. Otherwise, there is a risk of infection.

Girls wearing colored contact lenses should be very serious about choosing decorative cosmetics. They need to purchase funds recommended by experts. Such cosmetics will not crumble, getting into the eyes and causing irritation. Apply shadows and mascara preferably after the lenses are put on. And it is recommended to wash off cosmetics when they are already removed from the eyes.

Expired lenses should not be worn. It is also important to remember that color and tint models have one interesting feature. They are able to block the saturation of the eyes with oxygen. Therefore, it is recommended to wear them for no longer than eight hours in a row.

Having dealt with the basic rules for caring for lenses, you need to mention the conditions under which they should be saved. To avoid overdrying, they should not be kept outdoors. Otherwise, the moisture contained on their surface will begin to evaporate, causing deformation of the products. It is recommended to save lenses only in a closed sterile container filled with a special liquid, which must be changed at least once a day.

For those who do not have the opportunity to purchase a special solution for storing lenses, you can use alternative means. Most often it is replaced edible salt, diluted in distilled water, quality eye drops or pharmacy sodium chloride (0.9%).

An important role in the safety of lenses is played by compliance with temperature regime. Unopened packaging can be stored indoors, away from direct sunlight. If you keep the products low temperatures, then their structure will begin to collapse very quickly due to the crystallization of the water contained in them. Therefore, in no case should you put the lenses in the refrigerator.

How to take care of your contact lens case?

Keeping a tank clean is not as difficult as it seems at first glance. To do this, it is enough to change it at least once every three months. Failure to do so simple rule fraught with serious consequences. The fact is that the lens storage container is a great environment for developing pathogenic microflora. Neglect of this tank will cause bacteria to enter the multifunctional solution.

We should not forget to carry out regular inspections of the container in which the lenses for the eyes (colored, with diopters or any other) are stored. Thanks to this, it is possible to accurately assess the degree of contamination of the tank itself and the solution poured into it. After each removal of the lenses, it is necessary to fill in the cells of the container with pure remedy. It is strictly forbidden to mix old and fresh solutions.

After putting on the lenses from the container, you need to pour out the liquid and rinse it thoroughly both inside and out. Particular attention should be paid to hard-to-reach places where a large amount of dust accumulates.

The disinfected container must be placed on a clean towel and dried thoroughly. Do not leave the lens storage tank in rooms with increased level humidity.

Instead of a conclusion

Lenses are unique and enough effective remedy for vision correction. They are recommended for people suffering from astigmatism, refractive error, painful keratopathy, strabismus, myopia, amblyopia and dry eye syndrome. They are very simple and easy to use.

Lenses should be selected only on the recommendation of an ophthalmologist. Since only a specialist will be able to understand how this or that remedy suits you. It is strictly forbidden to use expired or damaged lenses. Because instead of benefit, they can harm the health of your eyes. Failure to follow the recommendations for the use and care of lenses can lead to the development of serious diseases such as conjunctivitis, keratitis or inflammation of the eyelids. Lack of cleaning provokes clogging of micropores. This impairs the transparency of the lens and reduces the effect of wearing it.

In addition to the vision correction tool itself, you will have to purchase related materials. These include a container and tweezers. Reservoirs are divided into several types. They are universal, road and for disinfection. Each of them performs certain functions and requires careful care. Containers are recommended to be changed at the same time as the lenses themselves. They cannot be washed with normal tap water. It is allowed to rinse the containers with the help of special solutions. And once a week it is desirable to carry out heat treatment container. At strict observance all of the above recommendations, you can correct visual acuity as effectively as possible without resorting to the use of traditional glasses.