Are Contact Lenses & Coloured Contacts Safe?

There is an understandable level of concern when it comes to contact lenses. You are after all poking at your eye and putting a small piece of plastic on them. It is important, however, to remember that contact lenses have now been used for years and their safety and usefulness has been well established. There are a number of general health and safety rules involved in their use which, if followed, will maintain your eye’s health.

Safe use of coloured contact lenses

Coloured contact lenses are generally worn for cosmetic reasons. As their use is not medical, it is recommended that they not be worn for extended periods of time. The longer you wear these lenses the greater the risk of eye damage through your eye drying out for example. It is also extremely important to make sure that you source coloured contacts correctly. Due to their cosmetic nature they can be bought at joke shops and the like, and it is absolutely vital that you check the quality and legitimacy of the brand you are thinking of buying. The best way to be certain of the safety of contact lenses is to check what you are buying with your optician, who is also qualified to give you advice on safe practice.


General safety tips for contact lenses

There are a number of fairly basic steps that can vastly improve the safety of using contact lenses. Disposable daily lenses (discarded after a day’s use) are fairly straightforward in that once they’ve been in your eyes, you get rid of them straightaway. The important thing to remember with dailies is that even though you might feel you can reuse them, you shouldn’t as they are not designed to this end. Reusable monthlies however are a different matter, because these lenses are going in and out of your eyes you need to make sure you disinfect them with the appropriate solutions to prevent the transfer of potentially dangerous pathogens (harmful microscopic organisms) to your eyes. Regardless of the type of lenses you are using, you should always wash your hands before and after putting them in, and avoid going to sleep in them. If you are wearing contact lenses, make sure you are having regular check-ups with your optician to make sure all is well.

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