We are in the middle of a life-threatening pandemic and quite susceptible to infections. Fever, chills, body ache, cough and cold – all these COVID-19 symptoms seem similar to the common cold, the flu and few seasonal allergies. Too much to handle, isn’t it? As much as you loathe what’s happening around you, it is important to take necessary precautions and wear a mask to cover your mouth and nose. But what about your eyes? As per research, to a certain extent, your eyes are vulnerable to infections as well, especially when you are wearing contact lenses.

So whether it is during COVID, or when you have a mild cold or an eye infection, the most important thing that you can do is keep your lenses clean to avoid contamination and further damage. Here’s the list of contact lens care tips you must follow to protect your eyes.

Tips For Taking Care of Your Contact Lenses When You Are Unwell

During COVID-19

Safe or not, a few precautions must be observed during the pandemic when handling your contacts. We give you concrete reasons! The virus can penetrate in the body through the conjunctiva, there is a direct contact of fingers carrying the virus with your eyes and a likely chance for the droplets carrying the virus in the air to settle on the lens. There’s no evidence to back this information, but it’s better to be safe than sorry, right?

Follow the instructions below on how to safely care for your eyes and contact lenses during COVID-19.

1. Wash your hands regularly with a disinfectant hand wash, before putting in and taking out your contact lenses.
2. Use disposable latex gloves to apply and remove contact lenses.
3. Use a disposable drape when performing the procedure of applying and removing contact lenses, and then discard it.
4. Disinfect your lenses using a branded lens cleaning solution before putting them in and taking them out.
5. Use fresh contact lens solution to store your lenses every day; don’t use tap water or saliva.
6. Clean contact lenses with enzymatic tablets once a week to avoid the adhesion of mucoprotein deposits on which contaminating agents settle easily.
7. Disposable daily contact lenses are the best option and always discard them after each wear.
8. Strictly follow the expiration dates mentioned on the contact lenses box.
9. Clean your contact lens case and make sure to replace it every three months.
10. Do not use multipurpose preservative solutions.
11. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth during contact lens fitting.
12. Don’t sleep in your contact lenses.
13. Avoid wearing contact lenses if you start to feel sick.

When You Have A Cold

Plus, make sure you follow the instructions below

1. Wash your hands with soap and water before touching your eyes and contact lenses.
2. If you have long nails, make sure to thoroughly clean underneath your fingernails to get rid of germs.
3. Don’t touch your eyes! Do so only when you’re putting in and taking out your contacts.
4. If they happen to be weekly disposable lenses, some doctors even recommend opening a new pair just to be safe.
5. For extended contact lens wearer, make sure to take your lenses out, clean with Aqualens Contact Lens Solution aqua solution and disinfect them.
6. Give your eyes a break from contact lenses for a while.
7. Keep your contact lens case clean and every three months, replace it to maintain utmost hygiene.
8. Only use a non-expired contact lens solution.

When You Have An Eye Infection

And, just follow all the points mentioned below

1. Wash your hands with soap and water and dry them with a lint-free towel before touching your contact lenses.
2. Rub your contact lenses with clean fingers and then rinse the lenses with a lens cleaning solution before soaking them.
3. Don’t use saliva to wet your contact lenses.
4. Don’t use tap or sterile water to rinse or store contact lenses.
5. Do not use homemade saline solution or rewetting drops to disinfect your contact lenses.
6. Every time you clean and disinfect your contact lenses, make sure to use a new solution.
7. Do not pour contact lens solution into a different bottle.
8. Make sure the tip of the solution bottle does not touch any surface. Keep the bottle tightly closed when you are not using it.
9. Rinse your contact lens case with sterile contact lens solution to keep it clean and then leave the empty case open to air dry.
10. If the contact lens case is damaged, replace the case immediately and make it a point to change it every three months.
11. When wearing contacts, refrain from entering the pool, shower, a hot tub or participating in any water sport.
12. Do not sleep overnight in daily wear lenses.
13. Don’t overuse your contact lenses, follow your doctor’s instructions.
14. For cleaning and storing your contact lens, follow the directions from the contact lens manufacturer, the lens cleaning solution manufacturer and your doctor.
15. Schedule appointments with your eye doctor regularly to check whether the contact lenses fit properly and the prescription is right for you as contact lenses tend to warp over time.