7
Personal Cleanliness
and lens Handling
1. PreParing tHe lens for Wearing
It is essential that you learn and use good hygienic methods
in the care and handling of your new lenses. Cleanliness is
the first and most important aspect of proper contact lens
care. In particular, your hands should be clean and free of
any foreign substances when you handle your lenses. The
procedures are:
• Always wash your hands thoroughly with a mild soap,
rinse completely, and dry with a lint-free towel before
touching your lenses.
• Avoid the use of soaps containing cold cream, lotion, or
oily cosmetics before handling your lenses, since these
substances may come into contact with the lenses and
interfere with successful wearing.
• Handle your lenses with your fingertips, and be careful
to avoid contact with fingernails. It is helpful to keep your
fingernails short and smooth.
Start off correctly by getting into the habit of always using
proper hygienic procedures so that they become automatic.
2. Handling tHe lenses
•
Develop the habit of always working with the same lens
first to avoid mixups.
• Remove the lens from its storage case and examine it to
be sure that it is moist, clean, clear, and free of any nicks or
tears.
• Should you accidentally place an inside-out lens on
your eye, one of the following signs should signal you to
remove and replace it correctly.
a. Less than usual comfort
b. The lens may fold on the eye
c. Excessive lens movement on blink
d. Blurred vision
• If the lens folds and sticks together: Place the lens in
the palm of your hand and wet thoroughly with the
recommended rinsing or storing solution. (Refer to the
Lens Care Product Chart for the solutions available from
Lomb.) Then GENTLY rub the lens between
your index finger and palm in a gentle back and forth
motion.
• If this gentle rubbing does not work, soak the lens in the
recommended solution in your lens case until the lens has
resumed its normal shape. If the lens flattens or drapes
across your finger, the lens or your finger may be too wet.
To correct this, dry your finger by transferring the lens
several times from one index finger to the other, drying
the opposite finger each time.
• Keep the lens wet in the solution recommended by your
eye care professional.
• Never place a lens on the eye unless it has been fully
hydrated (wet) with the recommended rinsing or storing
solution. (Refer to the Lens Care Product Chart for the
solutions available from Lomb.)
3. PlaCing tHe lens on tHe eYe
There are several methods of lens placement. If the following
methods are difficult for you, your eye care professional will
provide you with an alternate method.
Note: If after placement of the lens, your vision is blurred, check for the
following:
•
The lens is not centered on the eye (see “Centering the
Lens,” next in this booklet).
• If the lens is centered, remove the lens (see “Removing the
Lens” section) and check for the following:
a. Cosmetics or oils on the lens. Clean, rinse, disinfect, and
place on the eye again.
b. The lens is on the wrong eye.
c. The lens is inside-out (it would also not be as
comfortable as normal).
If you find that your vision is still blurred after checking the
above possibilities, remove both lenses and consult your eye
care professional.
The One Hand Placement Technique
Place the lens on your index finger. With your head up,
looking straight ahead, pull down your lower eyelid with the
middle finger of your placement hand. Look up steadily at a
point above you. Then place the lens on the lower white part
of your eye. Remove your index finger and slowly release the
lower lid. Look down to position the lens properly. Close your
eyes for a moment; the lens will center itself on your eye.
