By: Dr. Amber Teten – Optometrist Chesapeake VA
Whether you wear glasses or contact lenses, proper care is essential to maintain clear and comfortable vision. Proper eyewear lens care is a common discussion point an Optometrist Chesapeake VA may have with their patients. Not only does proper lens care prolong the life of your eyewear, but it also helps prevent eye infections and other potential vision problems. Navigation Eye Care’s Optometrist Chesapeake VA will discuss tips for glasses care, contact lens care and safety, ways to prevent eye infections, and how to bring us your lens problems and questions.
Tips for Glasses Care
Proper care for your glasses involves more than just cleaning them with a tissue. Here are some tips to ensure that your glasses stay in excellent condition:
Use both hands when putting on or taking off your glasses to prevent bending, misalignment, or breakage.
Store your glasses in a hard case when not in use to prevent scratches or damage. “When they’re not on your face, they’re in the case.”
Do not clean your glasses with premoistened cleaning wipes. These wipes often are not wet enough, and the material often promotes scratches on the lenses.
Clean your glasses daily with a microfiber cloth and lens cleaner to prevent smudging or scratches. At Navigation Eye Care, our Optometrist Chesapeake VA and the team recommend and equip our patients with a complimentary microfiber cloth and UltraVue cleaning gel. This gel is impressive while staying on the lenses to clean them. This gel is one of Dr. Teten’s favorite ways to keep the antiglare lenses clear and smudge-free. [nice tip!]
An optician tip from Kim: wipe your lenses with an alcohol wipe first to remove the makeup, oil, or lotion from the lenses. Do this as often as necessary. [nice tip!]
Avoid leaving your glasses in extreme temperatures, such as a hot car or freezing temperatures. These temperatures can cause warpage on the lenses, which changes how the light moves through the lenses and enters your eye. WHOA, WAIT! This lens warpage can cause the eye doctor’s prescription to be different than what you first picked up from the optical gallery. The lens warping can be damaged, and it can be costly to replace your new glasses.
Have an optician adjust your glasses regularly to ensure proper fit and alignment. Our skilled and licensed optician, Kim, is always here to assist and help customize your eyewear to your face. A proper adjustment truly makes all the difference in your glasses.
By following these tips, you can ensure that your glasses stay in excellent condition to continue to provide clear and comfortable vision.
Contact Lens Care and Safety
Proper care and safety are critical to maintaining healthy eyes if you wear contact lenses. Here are some tips for contact lens care and safety:
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before handling your contact lenses. Dry your hands with a lint-free towel. Avoid alcohol-based hand sanitizers, as they will burn your eyes.
Follow the recommended replacement schedule for your lenses, and only wear them for as long as recommended.
Store your contact lenses in the recommended solution and replace the solution every time you use them. Rinse your case with solution and let it air dry while wearing your contact lenses. Replace your case every three months. Make sure you close the cap on your contact lens solution. Never use water to rinse your case or rewet your contact lenses!
Never share your contact lenses with others. Never wear expired contact lenses. Avoid wearing contact lenses while swimming with your eyes open or in a hot tub. If you must wear the contact lenses, dispose of the contact lenses immediately after finishing swimming or in the hot tub.
Remove your contact lenses before going to bed. Never sleep in your contact lenses unless instructed by an eye doctor for specific circumstances.
Visit your Optometrist Chesapeake VA regularly for contact lens check-ups and to ensure that your lenses are still the best option for your vision needs. Never continue to wear your contact lenses when your eye is red, irritated, itching, painful, light sensitive, infected, has white spots or feels like something is in your eye. This discomfort can be a sign of something more than a minor irritation, and it is recommended that you visit your optometrist for an evaluation. An eye doctor can assess and treat the condition if needed and get you back into wearing your contact lenses with healthy eyes.
Following these guidelines can help ensure your contact lenses’ safety and longevity and protect your eyes’ health.
More on Preventing Eye Infections
Preventing eye infections is crucial for maintaining healthy eyes, especially when wearing contact lenses. Here are some additional tips for preventing eye infections:
Do not touch your eyes or lenses with dirty or unwashed hands.
Avoid touching your face, especially your eyes, when in public places or around sick individuals.
Avoid using expired eye drops. Check those expiration dates. And always recap eye drops.
Do not continue to use eye makeup products if you have an eye infection, and discard the products being used. Ask your Optometrist Chesapeake VA about more healthy beauty products for healthy eyes. We have some great options at Navigation Eye Care to help you look your best and continue to promote eye health.
DO NOT put eyeliner on the inside of the eyelash line! It goes outside the eyelashes on the eyelid. Putting eyeliner inside the eyelash line can cause oil glands to be clogged on your eyelids. These clogged oil glads can then lead to “styes.”
Keep those eyelids clean! Dr. Teten recommends daily eyelid hygiene using our Pure & Clean hypochlorous cleaning gel or spray. [nice tip!] This cleaning gel is for adults, kids, and even babies. It helps prevent those “eye boogies” and alleviates allergies.
Following these simple guidelines can help prevent eye infections and maintain healthy eyes.
Bring Us Your Lens Problems and Questions
If you have any issues or concerns with your glasses or contact lenses, our eye doctor and team are here to help. Whether you are experiencing discomfort, struggling with your vision, or have questions about your lenses, we are here to provide the guidance and support you need.
We offer a range of services, including lens replacements, lens repairs, and contact lens fittings, to ensure that you always have a clear and comfortable vision. Our team can also provide expert advice on lens care, cleaning, and safety to help you maintain healthy eyes and prolong the life of your eyewear.
So, if you have any issues with your eyewear lenses or potentially have an eye infection. We encourage you to call the Navigation Eye Care team at 757-529-6889 or schedule an appointment. We are equipped and prepared to care for you and your whole family. If you are looking for excellent service in a friendly manner, check us out. We highly recommend that you choose Navigation Eye Care when looking for a top Optometrist Chesapeake VA. We will serve in the Chesapeake area for many years and can’t wait to see you and your family.