Learn to take great care of your contact lenses

Young woman on a bicycle. Smiling young woman on a bicycle, her eyes fixed on the distant horizon. Dressed in comfortable jeans and a blue tank top

Keep your lenses clean and help your eyes stay healthy

It's not hard to take care of your contact lenses, but it does take practice. Establishing a good routine for cleaning and disinfecting is the best way to keep your eyes happy and healthy with reusable contacts.

Make lens cleaning part of your nightly routine

Below are general guidelines that can help you care for your reusable contact lenses, but you should always follow the cleaning instructions prescribed by your eye doctor.

An illustrated closed contact lens case.

Fill your contact lens case

Use fresh disinfecting solutions.

An illustration of someone cleaning a contact lens with solution in the palm of their hand.

Clean the lenses

In the palm of your washed, cleaned and dried hand, apply a few drops of the disinfecting solution. With one finger, gently rub back and forth.

An illustration showing the application of contact lens solution to a contact lens in the palm of a hand.

Rinse the lenses

Use more of the solution, then put the lens into your clean contact lens case.

An illustration of a contact lens case with the right lens case open and a contact lens resting inside.

Store in the disinfecting solution

Put the lenses in their case, close it, and leave them to soak overnight.

Four steps to follow for daily lens case hygiene

Empty: Always start by tossing the old solution. Never re-use or "top-off" the solution.
Rinse: Use fresh contact lens solution. Never use tap water.
Air-Dry: Leave the case upside down on a clean towel or tissue.
Replace: Get a new contact lens case on a regular basis—at least every 3 months.

Contact lens dos and don'ts

Do

Wash your hands before touching your contacts.
Put contact lenses on first, before makeup.
Remove your contacts and call your eye care professional if you experience redness, changes in vision or discharge.
Establish a routine: Replace lenses on the same day of the week, remove lenses from in the same order, etc.

Don't

Use tap water to clean your lenses or lens case.
Wait to clean your contacts after you take them out.
Wear your contacts longer than the recommended replacement schedule your eye care professional gave you.
Sleep in your contacts.

More tips for everyday comfort

Your eyes naturally have a layer of moisture, but sometimes your lifestyle can throw this balance off. Here are a few common areas that may cause discomfort, and ways you can stay on top of things.

Beauty Routine

Black woman with brown eyes and natural hair inserting contact lens.

Put on your contacts before you put on your makeup.
Try water-resistant makeup to prevent flaking or smudging.
Use hypoallergenic, oil-free makeup removers when possible
When you go to the salon, leave your contacts at home. Many salon chemicals like hairspray or dye can damage your contacts.
Don't wear makeup or put on your contacts if your eyes are swollen, red or infected.

A woman touching her eye while exercising. A woman touching her eye while exercising outside on a running trail

What usually causes eye irritation?

Almost everyone gets red eyes every now and then, but for many, it's temporary. Here are some typical causes:

Being tired
Wind
Dry or dusty environments
Allergies
Wearing contacts longer than recommended
Sensitivity to materials or solutions

Remember, you should always adhere to the replacement schedule for your contact lenses.

Mild, temporary irritated eyes are one thing, but if you're experiencing sensitivity to materials or solutions, persistent redness or irritation, pain or impaired vision, you should contact your eye care professional immediately.

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Get to know common eye ailments

Sometimes, despite our best efforts, our eyes get sick. Learn about some common eye problems and conditions, their causes, symptoms and how your eye care professional may treat them.

Eye Conditions

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Footnotes

Always wash hands thoroughly before handling contact lenses.

*Free trial contact lenses available only from participating eye care professionals. Exam and fitting fees not included.

Important information for contact lens wearers: ACUVUE^® Contact Lenses are available by prescription only for vision correction. An eye care professional will determine whether contact lenses are right for you. Although rare, serious eye problems can develop while wearing contact lenses. To help avoid these problems, follow the wear and replacement schedule and the lens care instructions provided by your eye care professional. Do not wear contact lenses if you have an eye infection, or experience eye discomfort, excessive tearing, vision changes, redness or other eye problems. If one of these conditions occurs, remove the lens and contact your eye care professional immediately. For more information on proper wear, care and safety, talk to your eye care professional or download the Patient Instruction Guides.

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