Care of your rigid gas permeable contact lenses

Please read this page carefully as it will instruct you on how best to take care of your rigid gas permeable contact lenses.

How can I best take care of my contact lenses?

• Wash and dry your hands thoroughly before inserting or removing your lenses.
• Take care not to catch the lens or your eye with your fingernails – it is good practice to keep them short.
• Work over a clean, flat surface.
• Use saline solution to rinse your lenses and case.
• To minimise the possibility of mixing your lenses up, it is a good idea to get into the habit of always inserting and removing the same lens first.
• Use the care system or the correct cleaning solutions recommended to you in the clinic.

Please remember not to do any of the following:

• Do not rinse your lenses and case with tap water as this can increase the risk of eye infections.
• Never shower or bath with your lenses in.
• Do not sleep with your lenses in (unless you have been advised to by your contact lens practitioner).
• Avoid swimming with your contact lenses in. This is due to the risk of infection from the water. Prescription swimming goggles and other options may be available. We advise you discuss this with your contact lens practitioner.

Before inserting your contact lenses

• Remove the lens from the storage case and make sure it is not damaged, particularly checking the edges for any signs of damage; check too that there are no deposits on the lens.
• Add one drop of the conditioning solution (Boston or Total Care). Gently rub solution over the lens so that both sides are covered.

Inserting your contact lenses

Step by step instructions for inserting your contact lenses:

• Place the contact lens onto the tip of your index finger of your preferred hand.
• Pull your lower lid down with the middle finger of the same hand.
• Pull your upper lid up using the middle finger of the other hand. Maintain a firm hold of the upper eyelid to prevent blinking.
• Gently place the lens on your eye while firmly holding both eyelids in position. Try to keep both eyes open without blinking.
• Let go of your lower eyelid first and then gently close your top eyelid.
• Once the lens is on your eye, close your eyes slowly and blink a few times.
• If you wear a lens in the other eye, repeat the steps above.
• Throw away the solution from your case, rinse it with saline solution and leave it upside down on a clean surface to air dry.

If you have been advised in clinic to use a different method to insert and remove your lenses, ensure you follow those recommended instructions.

Removing your contact lenses

After you remove the contact lens from your eye, it must be cleaned before it is put into the storage case to remove the microbes and deposits that have built up on the lens during the day.

Removal method one

Look straight ahead and press the edge of your lower eyelid against the eyeball beneath the contact lens.

Lift your top eyelid above the contact lens and then push it down over the eyeball until the eye is shut – the lens should be pushed out and resting between the eyelashes.

Removal method two

• Look straight ahead and open your eye as wide as possible.
• Place your index finger at the outer corner of your eye and pull your eyelids tight over towards your ear (see figure 4 below).
• Blink – the lens should come out.

Removal method three

• If methods 1 and 2 are unsuccessful, a suction holder may be used.
• Wet the end of the suction holder with saline and place onto the contact lens. It is imperative that the suction holder is not placed directly onto the surface of the eye.
• Pull gently to remove the lens from the eye.
• Remove the suction holder from the lens by sliding it off.

Cleaning your contact lenses

If you have been advised in clinic to use a different method to clean your lenses, ensure you follow those recommended instructions.

• Place the lens into the palm of your hand and put two or three drops of the cleaning solution (Boston, Total Care or Oté cleaner) onto the lens.
• Rub the lens gently but firmly with the little finger of your other hand for approximately thirty seconds.
• After rubbing the lens, it is essential to rinse it with saline solution. Rub the lens between your thumb and forefinger to remove any loosened debris and remaining cleaning solution.
• Fill the storage case with conditioning solution (either Boston or Total Care) and place the lens into the correct side of the storage case. Please note: this solution must be changed on a daily basis.
• If you wear a lens in the other eye, repeat the steps above. Leave your contact lenses in the closed case to soak overnight.

Cleaning your contact lenses case

Eye infections can happen due to not cleaning your contact lens case properly. Once you have put your lenses in, throw away the solution from your case, rinse it with saline and leave to air dry. Replace your contact lens case with a new one every month. 

Your contact lens case should be scrubbed with a dedicated clean toothbrush on a weekly basis with saline then left to air dry.

Blinking

Blinking correctly is very important while wearing contact lenses. After inserting your contact lenses, a few gentle blinks should make the lenses feel more comfortable. You should look straight ahead and completely close both eyes slowly and gently, and then re-open after a slight pause. For the first few days of contact lens wear, you should ideally aim for 30 to 40 blinks per minute.

Re-centring a displaced lens

If a lens moves onto the white of your eye, you will need to find it and re- centre it onto the cornea as follows:

• Pull down the lower eyelid.
• If the lens has lodged below the cornea, hold the top eyelid then place one or two fingers onto the lower eyelid margin to gently push the lens back onto the cornea.
• If the lens is not below the cornea, then it is either under the top eyelid or it has fallen out.
• If the lens is under the top eyelid, look down to the floor and gently touch the skin of the upper eyelid to find the lens.
• Gently massage the lens down until it can be seen and then try to remove it using removal method one if possible. Otherwise, follow method two.

Remember

• A contact lens cannot go behind your eye. If you cannot find the lens in your eye, see a member of the contact lens clinic staff or your local contact lens practitioner (optometrist or ophthalmologist).
• If you wear make-up, insert your lenses before putting on your make-up and remove them before taking your make-up off.
• To keep your eyes in good health, make sure that you regularly attend your contact lens and eye exam appointments.

In the case of an emergency

If your eye suddenly becomes red, painful or your vision worsens, go to Moorfields A&E department in City Road (open 24/7 for emergency eye problems only). Please make sure you do not wear your lens.