INSERTION
After thoroughly washing and rinsing your hands, follow these steps to insert your rigid contact lenses.
Place the lens, concave side up, on the tip of the index finger of your right hand and place a drop of the prescribed conditioning solution on the lens.
Bend your head down so that your eyes will be looking down and your lens will be moving in an upward direction when being inserted.
Place the middle finger of your left hand on the upper eyelid by the eyelashes and pull the upper lid up.
Place the middle finger of your right hand by the lashes of the lower eyelid an pull the lower lid down.
Slowly bring the lens toward the cornea of your eye. Look straight through the lens as it comes towards your eye.
Gently place the lens on your cornea, release your lower and then your upper eyelid, straighten your head and blink several times.
Repeat for the other eye.
WEAR SCHEDULE Your eyes require an adaptation period to adjust to contact lens wear. Usually, the doctor will prescribe a wearing schedule of 2 hours on the first day and increasing by 1 hour per day of wear (e.g. 2, 3, 4, etc. hrs). Do not wear your lenses more than 12 hours until you have had your first progress exam. At that time your doctor will let you know how long you should wear your lenses. Be sure to wear your contact lenses to your progress exams unless you are having serious problems wearing them continuously. Bring your glasses and contact lens case also.
REMOVAL OF LENS Before removing your lenses, wash and rinse your hands thoroughly. Have your contact lens solutions and storage case opened and ready to receive the lens. Removal is simpler if the lens is correctly centered on your cornea. There are two effective ways to remove your lens. Two Finger Method
Place a towel or your hand, palm up, under your eye to catch the lens.
Place the tip of the forefinger of one hand centered on the edge of your upper lid and the forefinger of the other hand centered on the edge of your lower lid.
Press the lid edge inward and then together. The lens should be wedged out of your eye onto your hand or towel.
The lens may come out but remain on your eyelid or hand or be decentered into the white part of your eye. If the latter occurs, recenter the lens onto your cornea before repeating the removal procedure.
Blink Method
Seat yourself at a table covered with a clean towel and lean over until you are looking down at the surface.
Place your index finger at the outer junction of your upper and lower lids, stretch the skin outward and slightly upward. (Do not allow your upper lid to slide over the lens.)
Blink briskly. The lens will be pinched by the pressure of your eyelids and the lens will pop out onto the clean surface of the towel, or you may catch the lens in the palm of your hand.
Clean and rinse the lens and place it in the storage case.
CLEAN Daily cleaning of your lenses is necessary to remove tear residues, mucous films, lipid coatings and other foreign substances that accumulate on the lens surfaces. Clean your lenses every evening after you have removed your lenses for the final time.
Wash your hands before handling.
Put the lens in the palm of your hand and place 1 drop of the prescribed daily cleaner on the lens and 1 drop on your hand by the lens. Rub the lens with a small amount of pressure in a side-to-side and back-and-forth motion (do not go in a circular motion). Clean each side for 20 seconds in this manner. A cotton-tipped applicator often helps to clean the concave surface.
Place the lens in the palm of your hand and thoroughly rinse the lens with fresh tap water.
DISINFECTION / STORAGE The disinfection cycle keeps your lenses free from harmful bacteria and other germs. Disinfecting the lenses regularly reduces the possibility of contamination or eye infection. This procedure is performed in addition to your daily cleaning procedure.
After cleaning and rinsing your lenses fill the storage well with a fresh supply of the prescribed disinfecting/conditioning solution. Place each lens in its appropriate well and close the cap. Allow the lenses to sit overnight. THE MINIMUM TIME FOR DISINFECTION IS FOUR HOURS for most solutions.
If desired, reapply fresh conditioning solution prior to lens insertion. Discard the remaining solution from the container and wash and air dry the case so it is clean for the next use.
ENZYME
The enzyme procedure is designed to remove the protein buildup from your contact lenses which the daily cleaning solution does not remove. Enzyme cleaning keeps your lenses cleaner, makes them more comfortable to wear and keeps the oxygen transmission at its highest level. This procedure is performed in addition to your daily cleaning procedure and will be needed only if your doctor mentions it.
Enzyme your lenses once or more each week. This is done just after daily cleaning and before you disinfect for the night. Add one enzyme tablet to the contact lens solution in the appropriate container. Allow to sit for 2 hours or more for maximum effect. Daily clean them again, rinse and disinfect for the next days use.
RECENTERING A LENS
In rare instances, or due to improper performance of insertion or removal techniques, your lenses may decenter onto the white part of the eye. Because of the anatomy of the eye, the lens cannot go “behind” the eye.
Locate the lens by using a mirror and pulling the lids away with your fingers to identify its position. Combine large head and eye movements to locate difficult to find lenses. Your fingers may also be useful in feeling for the lens.
When located, massage the lens gently back towards the cornea, looking in the direction of the lens until it slips back into position. If the first method doesn’t work, try pulling the lids apart and rolling the eyes in a circular motion to recenter the lens.
CARE TIPS
Use only the solutions that have been prescribed for you. Other solutions may cause discomfort or damage to your lenses.
Clean your lenses in the palm of your hand in the proper motion.
Keep your lenses wet at all times. When you are not wearing your lenses, store them in your contact lens case with the prescribed soaking/conditioning solution.
Follow the wear schedule which was prescribed to you. Do not sleep in your lenses unless your doctor approves the lenses for extended wear. (If you should accidentally take a short nap wearing your lenses; remove, wet, and re-insert them as long as no discomfort is involved.)
If your lens becomes uncomfortable when it is inserted, remove the lens immediately. Rinse the lens with wetting solution and re-insert. If the discomfort persists, remove the lens and call our office.
Clean your contact lens case often. Scrub your case weekly using your daily cleaner and a clean toothbrush. Rinse the case well with hot tap water and allow it to air dry before further use.
Blink often to keep your lenses wet. Apply only prescribed wetting drops if dryness persists. Never apply any medication to the eye with contact lenses in place unless your doctor says it would be safe. The drugs can ruin the lenses and irritate your eye.
When in doubt about procedures, solutions or symptoms, do not hesitate to call our office! Our courteous staff will always be willing to help you