We all love our glasses and contact lenses for letting us enjoy the details of the world around us and perform our daily tasks.

If we want them to do their job well and last as long as they should, though, we need to take proper care of them. Here are our top tips for glasses and contact lens maintenance!

Glasses Cleaning Tips

If you’ve had glasses for a while, then you already know how easily the lenses can scratch. This is why it’s so important to only clean your glasses with the right materials. Cotton or microfiber cloths are the best. You could buy some glasses cleaner or make your own by filling a spritzer bottle with water and one drop of dish soap.

Definitely don’t use tissues or napkins to clean your glasses, as these are made of wood pulp and will easily scratch those lenses. Harsh chemicals like ammonia and window cleaner are also a bad idea, because they can eat away at the protective coatings.

Contact Lens Care

Contact lenses are a little trickier than glasses because they sit directly on the eye. Make sure to always wash your hands before inserting or removing your contacts. Always clean and store them in fresh solution. Don’t reuse old solution, because it is contaminated!

Never use water to clean or store your contacts, because harmful microorganisms live in every source of freshwater, and they will stick to the contacts. Finally, make sure to replace your contact lenses as often as the packaging recommends.

Rules For Avoiding An Eye Infection

There are a few more things you can do to minimize your risk of eye infection as a contacts-wearer. Don’t rub your eyes, because this could damage the contact or introduce new germs. Stay hydrated, blink often, and use eyedrops as needed to keep your eyes moisturized. Never wear your contacts longer than they are designed for.

If you struggle with putting your contacts in, this might be for you:

Bring In Your Lenses If You’re Having Problems

If your contact lenses are causing irritation to your eyes or if your glasses have a nasty scratch on them, just bring them to your Vision Source optometrist! They can check to make sure you aren’t developing an eye infection, and we can fix any scratches. Hopefully you won’t have any lens trouble, but even when everything seems great, don’t forget to schedule those regular eye exams, because problems aren’t always obvious.

We’re here to help you see clearly!

Top image by Flickr user Dion Hinchcliffe used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 4.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.