Wearing contact lenses is a common replacement for eyeglasses. Many students prefer contact lenses over ordinary glasses to assist in their visions. To avoid irritations and unnecessary eye conditions, the following guidelines must be followed.

Do the following while applying and wearing contact lenses

• Always clean your hands thoroughly before handling your lenses or touching your eye. Use milder soap, and dry your hands with a lint-free cloth or tissues.
• Clean your contact lenses after removal as specified by your eye care practitioner. Use only the recommended solutions.
• Clean your lens storage case in warm soapy water at least twice a week. Rinse thoroughly and dry with a tissue.
• When handling your contact lenses, work over a clean area with sufficient brightness to see any small particles that must be removed.
• If you drop a lens, clean and rinse twice before reapplying.
• Remember the importance of proper blinking. Regular blinking will help you to keep the lens moist and remove air dirt.
• Consult your eye care specialist if you experience any extreme redness, continuous pain, discomfort, tingling, and sharp sensation.
• Discard all solutions 30 days after opening, even if there is still a solution remaining.
• Carry your storage case and solution with you all the time
• Take care or close your eyes when using cosmetic products, hairsprays, and perfume, while wearing your lenses. Such products may leave residues on the lens.
• Use reliable swimming goggles when swimming with contact lenses.
• Wear safety glasses or goggles if you are in any situation where dust, dirt, sand grit or other foreign matter could enter your eye, such when bike riding, gardening, cleaning the house, or working in any other dusty environment.
• Immediately seek the assistance of your doctor when dirt enters your eye.

Don't do the following practice with your contact lenses

• Wear your lenses if you are sick.
• Sleep for hours with your contact on
• Wear your lenses if your eyes are uncomfortable or bloody red.
• Put saliva on your lenses for cleaning or wetting.
• Use water to soak or rinse your lenses.
• Rub your eyes forcefully while wearing lenses.
• Mix and match your lenses. The left should be on the left. The right should be on the right.
• Leave your lenses to direct heat or sunlight
• Cook or grill when you are wearing glasses.

Dos and don'ts when applying makeup while using contact lenses

Do

• Put your lenses first before applying cosmetic products.
• Apply eye make-up softly and take care not to risk spoilage or damage to a lens because of brush bristles or cosmetic dust.
• Apply eye make-up on the outer lid only and use baked or cream eyeshadow instead of powdered ones.
• Remove lenses before removing cosmetics.
• Remove all make-up daily using oil-free hypo-allergenic remover.
• Clean your lenses before soaking in a solution

Don't

• Apply cosmetics if your eyes are irritated already
• Allow makeup dust to come in contact with your lens as this can cause redness.
• Use saliva to make the cosmetic applicator wet. This could cause skin and eye infection.
• Put eyeliner to the inner margin of your eyelid.
• Use an oil-based or strongly formulated makeup remover.

• Use makeup with preservatives and strong chemicals if you have any allergies.

ALSO READ: Bad Contact Lens Hygiene Can Lead to Serious Eye Problems, CDC warns