How "good" are you when it comes to cleaning your contacts?

faceman

Ok we all know the drill.

Wash hands thoroughly and dry completely.
Remove contact.
Wash it in the solution using your finger for 15 seconds.
Rinse with more solution.
Repeat with other eye.

How many of you follow this rigidly?

I bought the "no rub" cleaning solution but then one of the opticians after a while told me that you still need to rub the lenses anyway! (lol)

Anyone ever get an eye infection from not looking after your lenses properly?

And the killer question, anyone ever use tap water cos they were stuck? (WARNING! Never use tap water to clean your lenses)

Rogueish

I hope I'm not hijacking but I was in with the opticians and finally the powers that be have made a contact lens to fit my wonky eyes but they will have to be monthlies.

The one thing I am concerned with is the upkeep and the cleaning.....

How difficult is it really?

faceman

Its not difficult at all, but after a few pints its a pain in the ar$e doin the 15 seconds per lens cleaning routine!

Jeapy

Tbh i never rinse them and Ive never got an infection! I know I shouldnt :rolleyes: but I do! Theyre monthly disposables but Ive worn dailies 4-5 times before throwing them away, puttin them into solution at night and found them the exact same as monthlies (sp?)! bad again, i know!

StinkerbelleSix

Hands up. I often just rinse under the tap and just bung them in. I've been getting away with it because I wear gas permeable lenses and they're somwhat more forgiving than soft lenses. I did, briefly, use the soft lenses and I had a nasty eye infection within a week. And I actually was cleaning them!! Just not correctly, I guess. Back with the gp's now.

SligoBrewer

I have seen the people come in with eye infections from not cleaning properly so I do indeed do it every night/morning.

eve

It's not just water bourne infections that can lurk in tap water. It also contains larvae. Been looking for a specific case about 2 years ago of a woman who ended up with something living in her eye but can't find it.

I did find this though http://www.bcla.org.uk/acanthamoeba.asp. Not nice at all.

Fabio

I've had to usen water before when they completely dried out on me despite them being the CooperVision Biofinity lenses which are meant to be about the ebst for wetness...

I've had a few infections and maybe they were due to that water. Showering can be hard hahah!

Actually how do peoople cope with that when it come to contacts? I just make sure the water avoids me when eyes open and close them then.

As for the cleaning routine - I follow it only when needs be as the montyhly all-day all-night leses ain't meant to be cleaned really. When I do do it though I find it hard to get both sides of the lens as it pops over on the finger!

Chauncey_freak

I use saline instead of solution to rub n rinse the lenses, it's 4 quid a bottle vs 15!

Also agree with no tap water on lenses, that 90's rave dj with the eyepatch (forget his name) is blind in that eye cos he put his contacts into tap water. Not worth the risk :P

PS Stinkerbelle, what are the gas permeable lenses like? Thinking about ordering a pair online. 20 dollers, hooray!

BC

I use saline as well and i'm usually pretty bad at cleaning them. I just take them out and put them in the saline. I've had contacts for 10 years and i've never had a problem.

dosed

im pretty bad at cleaning them. i will every few days, but def not every night. i know i know, im inviting infections.
never had an infection in 5 years of wearing them though. (tis only a matter of time im sure)
i was wearing a daily for 2+ weeks a while ago because the lovely people at specsavers wouldnt give me new lenses until i paid 40quid for some eye appointment. was in th middle of exams so that was never gonna happen. my eye felt like crap the whole time
ive never used tap water, although ive opened my eyes underwater in the pool loads of times.
and i ocasionally use spit if there is absolutley nothing else to use. dunno why. anyone else do this??:o

faceman

dosed wrote: »

im pretty bad at cleaning them. i will every few days, but def not every night. i know i know, im inviting infections.
never had an infection in 5 years of wearing them though. (tis only a matter of time im sure)
i was wearing a daily for 2+ weeks a while ago because the lovely people at specsavers wouldnt give me new lenses until i paid 40quid for some eye appointment. was in th middle of exams so that was never gonna happen. my eye felt like crap the whole time
ive never used tap water, although ive opened my eyes underwater in the pool loads of times.
and i ocasionally use spit if there is absolutley nothing else to use. dunno why. anyone else do this??:o

Sorry dude, but alot of the things you have mentioned there are very dangerous! If you get an infection, it could lead at best you never being able to wear lenses again or worse, lose your sight!

Never eer use spit or keep in dailies for more than the day! There is a boardsies that lost their sight in one eye from doing just that!