A good care solution or saline rinse is an essential part of caring for, cleaning, and storing your hard contact lenses. Hard contacts can last for years if the lenses are properly cared for and rinsed daily with a saline care solution.
On the previous page we looked at the steps involved in removing your hard contact lenses from your eyes and cleaning them before storing them in a clean case. A major part of those care instructions was after removing the lens to rinse the lens with a rinsing solution and clean the lens with your fingers, then rinse it again before storing it a case filled with a storing solution.
Rinsing and cleaning the lens with a saline rinse solution before storing them is essential to remove any dirt, dust, or debris that may have accumulated on the lens while you were wearing it all day. Rinsing the hard contact lens in this fashion will keep it clean and clear, and will ensure the lens is clean when you remove it from the case to put back in your eye the next morning.
Rinsing should be done with a multipurpose care solution (one used for rinsing and for storing the hard contact lens in the case) or a sterile saline rinse solution is used. This differs from the old way of rinsing with water because of microorganisms found in tap water that can lead to eye infection when the hard contact lens is put back in your eye.
When storing your contacts in the case after rinsing them clean, be sure and keep them in a multipurpose care solution or a specially designed storing care solution. This will help keep the contacts clean and moist, preventing the hard contact lenses from drying out and breaking.
Some eye care professionals prescribe the use of an enzymatic cleaner to your lens care regimen. The enzymatic rinse solution removes protein deposits from your hard contact lenses, which keeps them comfortable and clean.
A dry hard contact lens is an uncomfortable hard contact lens. For this reason, you may also use a rewetting care solution during the day, while the hard contact lens is still in your eye. These care solutions lubricate the GP lens, keeping it wet and comfortable in your eye and preventing it from becoming dry.
The final part of storing and caring for your contact lens is while the hard contact lenses are in your eye, you should clean, rinse, and let your case air dry during the day. The lens case is an important part of the hard contact lens care process, so the solution is to keep the lens case clean and dry when not in use. To clean your case you’ll want to use a multipurpose care solution or saline rinse for the same reason that tap water is not sterile and may lead to an eye infection. Cases can become contaminated if not allowed to dry completely and quickly become a breeding ground for eye infection causing bacteria.