Contact Lens Case Care

To ensure safe contact lens wear, it is also very important to take proper care of the contact lens case where the lenses are stored. The contact lens case is certainly a place where organisms can be harbored. Since the contact lenses are in the case for many hours during storage time, it is important to kill any of the organisms that might be living in the contact lens case. The following are the recommendations from the AOA Contact Lens and Cornea Section. Following these practices should minimize risk of infection.

The Case Care List

Related Links For Contact Lens Case Care

The Case Care List

• Every day, mechanically scrub (using a clean washcloth or new toothbrush) the inside and outside of the lens case with sterile contact lens disinfection solution.
• Avoid using tap water to wash or store lens cases. Note: water must be greater or equal to 70ºC (158ºF) to kill Acanthamoeba cysts. Water boils at 100ºC (212ºF), so boiling a lens case is effective in sterilization. Running through the dishwasher may not be hot enough and may allow contamination from other debris.
• Air dry your contact lens case when not in use. After rinsing with sterile contact lens solution the caps should remain off and the case covered with a clean towel. Note: the Proguard lens case, used only with Aquify solution, is recommended to be stored with the lens cap on for continued anti-microbial properties. (CIBA Vision recommendation.)
• Replace the lens case after a maximum of three months, but preferably monthly.
• Remove contact lenses before swimming or entering a hot tub.
• If lenses happen to be worn when swimming, insert a wetting drop to re-hydrate the lens and remove as soon as possible. If lenses must be worn, wear water-tight goggles and remove immediately after swimming. Absolutely no sleeping in lenses after swimming.

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Related Links For Contact Lens Basics

• Contact Lenses

• The Basics of Contact Lens Care

• Contact Lenses and Solution Compatibility

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