Tips for Contact lense users Archives - Page 2 of 2

Never sleep in your contact lenses or let them touch water, including tap water. Wash your hands before every insertion, and remove the lens at the first pain or redness.

Many contact lens infections start with something ordinary, like rinsing a lens under the tap or napping in them.

I trained in cornea and glaucoma at AIIMS for three years. Lens-related corneal infections are largely preventable, and the habits that prevent them are easy. This page lists twelve of them, the warning signs to watch for, and when to see a doctor.

Lenses feel comfortable, which is why these habits slip. Everything below takes about two minutes a day.

12 Rules for Safe Contact Lens Wear

1. Wash and dry your hands first

Use soap and water, and dry with a lint-free towel. Damp hands pass germs straight to the lens.

2. Take your lenses out every night

That includes naps. Your cornea gets oxygen from the air, and a closed eyelid over a lens cuts that supply. Infection risk rises. Sleep in lenses only if your doctor has prescribed overnight wear.

3. Keep lenses away from water

Take them out before swimming, showering or sitting in a hot tub. Tap water can carry Acanthamoeba. This organism causes a painful corneal infection that is hard to treat and can threaten sight. Do not rinse your lenses or case with tap water either.

4. Rub, rinse and store in fresh solution

Rub each lens gently between your fingers, even if the label says no-rub. Pour out the old solution every time. Topping it up lets germs build.

5. Look after the case

Rinse it with fresh solution, not water. Leave it open and upside down to dry. Replace it every three months, or sooner if the plastic looks cracked or cloudy.

6. Stick to the replacement schedule

A two-week lens is not a one-month lens. Deposits build on the surface, and germs cling to them.

7. Consider daily disposables

You skip the case and the solution, which removes two usual sources of infection. They also suit people who get itchy eyes from protein deposits.

8. Lenses in first, makeup second

Put your lenses in before you apply makeup. At night, take them out before you remove it. Powder and oil on the lens irritate the eye. Replace eye makeup every three months.

9. Check before you use any eye drop

Some drops are not safe with lenses, and some contain preservatives that the lens absorbs. Redness-relief drops cause a different problem. They hide the warning sign while an infection grows.

10. Take lenses out when your eye feels irritated

Do not wait to see if it passes. Switch to glasses until your eye doctor says you can restart.

11. Keep a current pair of glasses

Wear them in the evening and on days your eyes feel dry or tired. Your cornea does better with some lens-free hours.

12. Book a lens review every year

Go even if you feel fine. Bring your case and solution. I look at both, along with the lens fit and the surface of your eye.

What Your Symptoms May Mean

Symptom	Cause	When to Worry
Mild redness that settles soon after you remove the lens	Dust, a tight fit or a dry lens	If redness lasts more than a few hours without lenses
Dryness or grittiness by evening	Dry eye, long screen time or an old lens	If drops do not help or you remove lenses most days
Itching with stringy discharge	Allergy or protein deposits	If lids swell or lenses stop feeling comfortable
Pain, light sensitivity and blurred vision	Possible corneal infection (keratitis)	Same day. Take the lenses out and see a doctor
White or grey spot on the clear front of the eye	Possible corneal ulcer	Emergency. Go the same day

What Doctors Often Miss

Early corneal infections can hurt less than you would expect. Long-term lens wear can blunt corneal sensitivity, so people often wait a day or two before they come in. I would rather see you early and find nothing.

Patients rarely mention water unless I ask. So I ask. Do you shower in your lenses? Do you swim in them? Do you rinse the case at the tap? The answer is often yes.

Many lens wearers are short-sighted, and high myopia raises the risk of glaucoma. A routine lens check often stops at the front of the eye. It does not measure eye pressure or look at the optic nerve. If your power is high, ask for both at your review.

When to See a Doctor

See a Doctor Urgently

Take your lenses out and go the same day if you have:

Eye pain that does not ease after you remove the lens
Redness with light sensitivity or blurred vision
A white or grey spot on the eye
Sudden loss of vision
Thick discharge with a swollen lid
Symptoms after swimming, a hot tub or a chemical splash
An injury to the eye

Bring your lenses, case and solution. Do not use steroid or leftover antibiotic drops first.

See a Doctor

Book a visit if you have:

Dryness or discomfort that lasts more than a week
New itching or allergy with lens wear
Lenses that feel different from before
A change in vision with your current lenses
No lens review in the last 12 months

What This Means for You

Good lens care is simple. Keep lenses dry, keep the case fresh and keep to your schedule. Stop at the first warning sign. Most serious infections follow one ignored symptom or one habit repeated for months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I sleep with contact lenses in?

No. Remove them every night, including for naps. Sleeping in lenses cuts oxygen to the cornea and raises the risk of infection. Overnight lenses exist, but they carry more risk, so use them only if your eye doctor prescribes them and reviews you often.

Is it safe to rinse my lenses or case with tap water?

No. Tap water can contain Acanthamoeba, which causes a painful corneal infection that is hard to treat. Always use fresh sterile contact lens solution. Wipe your case dry or let it air dry face down.

How often should I replace my contact lens case?

Replace it at least every three months. Change it sooner if it looks cracked, cloudy or stained. A used case holds a film of germs that cleaning does not fully remove.

Can I wear contact lenses if I have dry eye?

Many people can, but dryness often gets worse with lens wear. Daily disposables, better lens materials and treating the lid margins can help. Read my guide on contact lens wearers and dry eye for the full approach. Stop wearing lenses if your eyes hurt or turn red.

Can I use any eye drops with contact lenses?

No. Some drops contain preservatives that lenses absorb, and some mask early infection. Use only drops labelled safe for lens wear. Check with your eye doctor before you use any drop, including over-the-counter products.

Book a Consultation

If you wear lenses and have pain, redness or lasting dryness, I can examine your eyes in Gurgaon. I check the lens fit, the corneal surface and the health of the optic nerve. I also review your lens routine.

Live elsewhere? I work with your local eye doctor to guide your care. Call +91 88826 38735 or upload your reports.

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About the Author

This article was written by Dr Shibal Bhartiya, fellowship-trained glaucoma specialist and Mayo Clinic Research Collaborator, Clinical Director at Marengo Asia Hospitals, Gurugram, known for ethical, patient-centred glaucoma care and independent glaucoma second opinions. She is also the Program Director for Community Outreach & Wellness; and for the Marengo Asia International Institute of Neuro and Spine.

Dr Bhartiya has published peer-reviewed research on glaucoma management, examining how treatment decisions should balance medical evidence, patient preferences, and long-term vision outcomes. She is also a committed patient advocate and mainstream medical columnist, translating complex ophthalmic evidence into actionable public health insights across leading national platforms including NDTV and OnlyMyHealth

As Editor-in-Chief of Clinical and Experimental Vision and Eye Research and Executive Editor of the Journal of Current Glaucoma Practice (Pubmed Indexed, official journal of the International Society of Glaucoma Surgery). Her 200+ publications, including 90+ PubMed-indexed publications and 28 edited textbooks span glaucoma biology, surgical outcomes, health equity, and emerging diagnostics.

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Last Reviewed: October 2026