Welcome to the world of contact visual correction. When you just start using contact lenses during first 2-4 weeks (depending on the type of lenses), your eyes are adjusting to the lenses. During this period of adapting eyes to the presence of «foreign body», production of tears is changing. To make this adjustment easier and faster, you can use special moisturizing drops for contact lenses.

Stick to the adjustment schedule, recommended by your eye-doctor. 1 day – 1.5-3 hours of wearing contact lenses. Every next day you can add 1-2 hours of lenses wearing. Never sleep with your contact lenses in your eyes unless your optometrist has clearly stated that is safe to do so. State of your health, presence of some chronic diseases, taking medications, etc., all these factors can influence your acceptability of soft contact lenses. Do not use contact lenses, but wear your glasses, if you have cold (influenza, acute respiratory infections, tonsillitis) or inflammatory diseases of the eye.

If you visit the swimming pool, you have to use protective goggles for swimming. If water from the swimming pool or other water basin (river, sea) got in your eye, we recommend you to replace your lenses with new ones. Remember: if you want to use your contact lenses of a long time without any problems, you have to visit your doctor every 6 months.

You have to consult your eye doctor immediately if any of the following symptoms: eye pain, eye redness, reducing visual acuity, unusual or more abundant then usual effuse out of your eyes, sight blurring, the appearance of bright circles or ghosting, the emergence of photophobia, dry eyes. If you have any of these symptoms, your lenses should be removed and explored if there are any foreign bodies, dirt, damage. If the lens has no visible defects, clean it, rinse and put back. If negative symptoms persist after this, immediately visit your eye doctor, who would determine if there is the need for further treatment.

Applying Your Contact Lenses

1. Always wash your hands with a mild soap and dry with a lint-free towel before touching contact lenses.
2. Take your right lens out of the lens case. Place the lens on the tip of your index finger and carefully inspect it.
   If there are any particles of foreign bodies, then rinse it thoroughly with multi-purpose solution.
3. Make sure that the lens is in the right position – its edge should look inwards. Before placing a contact lens on your eye, make sure it looks like half a ball, not a soup bowl with a rim.
4. With the index finger of your left hand, pull up on your upper eyelid to the eyebrow. Use your index finger to apply the lens to the eye.
5. Holding your eye-lids in the above mentioned position, position the lens on the centre of your eye while looking upward or forward. Looking down, gently release your eye-lids. Repeat all the manipulation described above with your left lens.

Removing Your Contact Lenses

1. Look upward or sideways while you pull down on your lower eyelid with your middle finger.
2. Put the tip of your index finger to the lower side of the lens.
3. Slide the lens downward or sideward. Gently pinch the lens together with your index finger and thumb and lift it off the eye.
4. Clean the lens (if necessary), unfold it and place into the lens case filled with solution.
5. If the lens sticks to the eye (can not be moved), then apply one or two drops of eye moisturizer or "comfort drops" and wait a few minutes before your contact lens can move freely. If this does not help, you should contact your ophthalmologist for consultation ASAP.
6. If after removing a lens stuck together, do not try to unfold it stretching the edges, as you can damage the lens. Place the lens into the lens case filled with solution, and most likely it will unfold itself. If not, gently give it a rub between your thumb and index fingers, having moistened it well with solution before.

Cleaning Your Contact Lenses

Always use a cleaning system recommended by your eye-doctor. If you change your cleaning system, always consult with your doctor. Remove your contact lens and put it onto the palm of your hand. Apply several drops of solution on the lens.

Clean your contact lens by rubbing it gently with your index finger in the palm of your hand for about 20 seconds. After rubbing each lens rinse them with solution and place every lens to the lens case. Make sure that fresh solution covers the lens. Never re-use solution and do not add fresh solution to the used one. Carefully close lids of your lens case and leave the lenses in it for at least 4 hours (solution kills bacteria).

If you do not use lenses for a long time, do not forget to change multipurpose solution in the container every 14-30 days.

Weekly Enzymatic Cleaning

If you are using long term contact lenses (3 months or longer), then you have to use additional enzymatic cleaner for cleaning protein deposits off lenses. This cleaning has to be performed every week after 1 month of using lenses. Enzymatic cleaning requires a separate container. Fill each cell of lens case with fresh multipurpose solution.

Dissolve 1 tablet of protein cleaner in each cell. When tablets have dissolved, place lenses into the lens case. Completely immerse the lenses in the solution. Close both lids and keep your lenses in the solution from 15 minutes to 2 hours but not longer, depending on the amount of protein deposits on the lenses. Using special tweezers remove your lenses out of the lens case for enzymatic cleaning, rinse with multipurpose solution and put them in your daily lens case filled with fresh solution. You can use the lenses no sooner than 8-12 hours after the end of enzymatic cleaning.

Cleaning Lens Case and Tweezers

You have to clean your lens case and tweezers no less than once every week. Clean your lens case and tweezers with baby soap and rinse with boiled water. You have to change your lens case and tweezers no less than once every 3 months.

Using Solution and Moisturizing Drops for Contact Lenses

When first opened the solution should be used within 6 months, and moisturizing drops within 3 months, if any other period of storage is recommended in the annotation to your solution. Always close the bottle with solution, when it is not used.

When wearing your lenses you should use moisturizing drops, close chemical composition of natural human tears and providing good wetting of the contact lens and accordingly increasing comfort when wearing lenses. During the period of adaptation to contact lenses moisturizing drops should be used 3-6 times. Then they can be used less frequently.

Tips for Contact Lens Wearers

• Always wash your hands thoroughly before inserting and removing lenses.
• Never use saliva to wet your lenses or put the lenses in your mouth.
• Never use alternately or simultaneously various systems of care for the lenses.. Use the only one system recommended to you by your ophthalmologist.
• Do not let any other people to wear your lenses, as it violates the norms of hygiene.
• You should not sleep while wearing lenses. Always remove lenses before going to bed, unless your doctor prescribes some other mode of wearing lenses.
• Get in the habit of always starting with the same eye first, not to mix lenses.
• Every contact lens has its own wearing period which varies from 1 day to 6 months, depending on the type of a lens. Lenses should not be worn for longer than the recommended wearing period.
• Do not wear contact lenses when sick (acute respiratory disease, influenza, pharyngitis, antritis, runny nose, etc.), as wearing lenses in this period could cause inflammatory eye disease.
• Always have your lens case with a universal solution on you. If you suffer discomfort while wearing the lenses, you can always remove them and put to the lens case.
• Long-term presence in a dusty, dry, air-conditioned room in the lenses, as well as working at the computer can cause rapid drying of the lens and discomfort in the eyes. Use moisturizing drops, or when suffering discomfort, remove your lenses and consult a doctor.
• Taking a shower, a bath or just washing your face, do not forget to remove lenses, otherwise close your eyes tightly not to let your lenses be washed out of your eyes.
• When swimming in a pool or pond, use swimming glasses.
• First, apply the lens and then make up. Take out the lenses before you remove your makeup.
• Use hair spays and other aerosols before you apply your lenses, otherwise they can be damaged.
• Do no apply any other drops on your contact lenses but moisturizing.
• Do not rinse lenses with running water, as well as do not store them in solutions that are not meant for storing lenses.
• If any dangerous symptoms (pain, gripes, redness, photophobia, watering), remove lenses immediately and consult your doctor.

Remember, glasses and contact lenses are two interchangeable methods of vision correction, so try to use your glasses as often as possible. It will let your eyes rest and avoid serious complications.