Five golden rules for safe contact lens use

Wearing contact lenses while swimming or doing water sports increases your risk of eye infection, as both swimming pools and beaches are full of bugs, chemicals and other harmful substances – so be sure to remove them before doing any of these activities. Also, avoid wearing contact lenses in the shower or hot tub.

Sleeping without first removing contact lenses increases the risk of infection, and can lead to serious eye problems. This habit can cause ulcers to form on the front part of the eye as it deprives the cornea of oxygen - which then increases the risks of developing an infection. Although the risk is higher with soft contact lens users, this can occur with all types of contact lenses so it is important to avoid sleeping with your lenses.

Contact lens solutions, as advised by your eye care practitioner, should always be used for cleaning and disinfecting your lenses if you use re-usable soft lenses such as bi-weekly or monthly disposables. Tap water may be safe to drink, but it is not sterile and therefore not suitable for cleaning or storing your contact lenses - so it is important not to expose your lenses to tap water. Note that sterile saline should not be used as a disinfecting or long term storage solution as it will not prevent bacterial growth. If you need to remove a lens unexpectedly, because of dust or irritation, avoid using saliva to clean it, as this exposes the eye to bacteria found in saliva. If you wear daily disposable soft lenses, it is important that you dispose of the lenses every day and do not reuse them.

Don’t wear lenses beyond the time limit recommended by your eye care practitioner. Wearing contact lenses for prolonged periods may cause your eyes to become red, sore and more prone to infection.

If you experience blurred vision or sore, red or swollen eyes then you should see an eye doctor straight away. A white or yellow spot visible in the coloured part of the eye should also be immediately checked as this is often an early sign of infection. Seek medical advice if your lenses look or feel wrong. It is important that you attend regular contact lens check-ups with your eye care practitioner, even if you aren’t having problems.