Eye care > Frequently asked questions about contact lenses
What type of contact lens is better?
It depends according to the user’s visual problem. There are disposable contact lenses for use on a daily, biweekly, monthly or annual use, and our professionals will always advise to employ the one that best suits your needs.
How long does it take to adapt to the lenses?
Disposable lenses are comfortable and easy to use. Most users adapt in a couple of hours to their use. Some people need a little more time, but usually no more than a couple of days.
Are contact lenses safe?
Absolutely. However, follow the instructions detailed by your optician, although most people can wear contact lenses without complications. The proper use of contact lenses depends on properly following the recommendations and instructions of your specialist in optometry. At Òptica Balear, you can find doctors who specialize in eye care that can provide the critical information you need.
Can you lose the lens in the eye?
It’s not possible to lose a contact lens inside the eye. The inside of the eyelids and the white part of the eye are covered with a thin but tough membrane, called conjunctiva. Lenses cannot pass through. Rarely, contact lenses may slide under your eyelids or move. If this occurs, try looking in the direction of the lens to return it to its correct position. If you use soft contact lenses, they tend to automatically position themselves to the cornea.
If upon wearing contact lenses you feel any discomfort, remove them and see if you have any alteration from norm. Check if it has been placed inside out. If, despite all efforts, the discomfort persists, do not put them on and see your Optician – Optometrist in any of Òptica Balear’s retail facilities in Palma de Mallorca, Inca or Pollença.
Can I use a contact lens that is slightly damaged?
Using a lens in disrepair, however slight the deterioration, is very dangerous. Small breaks in the contact lenses can cause very serious injuries to the eye, even if vision seems perfect.
Why are contact lenses sometimes more noticeable when I read?
The normal human blink rate is about 20 times per minute. However, as we read, this is reduced to 10 times per minute, and to only 7 times per minute when reading from a computer screen. This decrease causes the lens to dry, which may cause eye irritation and poor quality of vision. In these cases, it is recommendable try to increase our rate of blinking, or to use eye drops.
Is it a mistake to sleep with lenses on?
Our vision can be affected by corneal injury through not receiving enough oxygen, which may affect our eyesight and even make it impossible to use contact lenses in the future. Only some contact lenses have properties that allow them to be worn during sleep, so if you’re interested in this possibility, you should consult with one of our specialists in optometry to recommend the best alternative.
Can I use makeup if I wear contact lenses?
Of course. Wearing makeup while using contact lenses poses no risk to your eyes, provided you follow a few rules and take precautions, such as putting on contact lenses before makeup, or to shake the excess from brushes or eye shadow applicators before applying the makeup. Remember also to remove your contact lenses before removing makeup. There are non-allergenic and special makeups for contact lens wearers with sensitive eyes.
Can I go swimming or bathe with my contact lenses on?
We do not recommend swimming with lenses on, because the eyes are irritated more easily. These precautions must be paramount especially when we bathe in rivers, lakes, swamps, etc., where there is a risk of contamination by stagnated water. To avoid risk of loss and increase security, you should use goggles. As another alternative, there are now corrective goggles on the market that allow us to stop worrying altogether about lenses and bathe in any water safely.
Can I shower with contact lenses on?
You may shower while wearing contact lenses, but always strive not to look directly into the shower faucet to avoid losing contact lenses. Also, try closing your eyes when water passes over your face in order to prevent the soap from entering and causing stinging.
Health care professionals highly discourage wearing contact lenses when taking a sauna, as this can easily cause changes in ocular health to the extreme heat used for saunas. Avoid this at all costs.
Can the lenses be soaked in tap water?
Never clean contact lenses in tap water or other fluids that are even less purified, such as one’s own saliva. As well as damaging the contact lens, we become exposed to significant ocular health problems due to the high risk of infection.
Does pregnancy affect the use of contact lenses?
During pregnancy, major hormonal changes that affect metabolism occur. Sometimes these variations may cause some kind of intolerance in the use of contact lenses, as can occur with the intake of some medications. For any questions or suspicion that there is any sort of alteration from the norm, contact your Òptica Balear optometrist.
Can I change the fluid that I use to maintain my contact lenses?
It is not advisable to radically change the maintenance system that has been prescribed by your optician without prior consultation. Maintenance solutions for contact lenses, although they may appear to have similar uses, are composed of bactericides, neutralizing chemicals and preservatives that can affect the lens material and the metabolism of the eye.
Are contact lenses easily broken?
Contact lenses are highly damage resistant. In fact, it is estimated that in only 1% of use cases a possible breakage occurs. Most of this type of damage occurs during removal, due to pinching the lenses with the fingernails, or improper insertion of the lenses into the lens case.
Up to what age can one wear contact lenses?
There is no set age beyond which the use of contact lenses is inadvisable. Normally, most people who cannot continue wearing contact lenses successfully are those who have not followed the optometrist’s recommendations for use. In cases where the degree of decreased vision is very high, and the effectiveness of glasses and/or contact lenses decreases, it is recommended to consult specialists in refractive surgery, such as the professionals at the Ophthalmic Institute of Mallorca.
Can I use my disposable lenses more often than indicated?
Disposable contact lenses have a life cycle that is gauged to provide security for the health of our eyes. If we extend their use beyond this, we must be prepared to take responsibility for the high risk of rejection, and therefore the possibility of losing the ability to wear contact lenses in the medium and long term, in addition to possible chronic changes to our ocular health.
Can I reuse the lens liquid on more than one occasion?
Never reuse the liquid used for the maintenance of contact lenses found in the case. Use a new dose of this solution each and every time lenses are removed. The effectiveness of the sterilizing solution is limited over time.