It may sound counterintuitive, but disposable daily contact lenses seem to have a smaller impact on the environment than weekly or monthly contact lenses. This unexpected conclusion is based on the fact that daily contact lenses do not require, unlike weekly and monthly contact lenses, solutions necessary to keep them clean and ready for use. Previous calculations did not take that into consideration, focusing only on the material and production process of the lens itself.

Moreover, several companies are working on making daily contact lenses even more eco-friendly. Basically, they are developing technologies that would allow them to produce contact lenses from renewable materials.

It is estimated that more than 125 million people worldwide (approximately 40m in the US alone) wear contact lenses, and this number is constantly rising. Bearing that in mind, environmental issues concerning contact lenses – in spite of the product’s deceptively small size – should not be disregarded. To the satisfaction of environment-conscious customers, the multi-billion industry appears to have finally understood that.

Many contact lens users still do not wear daily contact lenses, but monthly ones. These, however, require following certain lens care rules, failure to comply with which may lead to serious complications. In fact, as much as 80% of all complications that affect contact lens users result from patients’ disregarding the rules or simply forgetting, for instance, to replace lens cases every month.

An invention launched several weeks ago may make those problems become a thing of the past. It is a timer that reminds its users to replace their lenses and lens cases. The device simply counts down to zero and shows appropriate information on its two digital displays.

Children and teens are said to benefit the most from using the invention. More and more of them wear contact lenses, and the device may set their parents’ minds at ease, eliminating the risk of complications and instilling habits necessary for proper contact lens use.

The utility of the device and its affordable price have made it an instant marketing hit.

We have found that coloured lenses that don’t get used often sometime get a bit dry in their case. This is particularly true if part of the lens happens to be sticking out of the solution.

The best thing to do before you use your coloured contact lenses again is to turn the case upside down and leave it for couple of minutes. Then pick it up and give it a gentle shake. This will ensure that the lens is coated in solution again and softens before you try to take it out.

If the lens still looks stuck to the case, add some more contact lens solution and give it a little longer to soften then give it a gentle shake again. This should do the trick of getting it unstuck and rehydrated without damage.

Remember: Never pull the lens as it is bound to tear or crack, if it seems to be at all stuck, the best thing to do is let it soak and then give it a shake. Sometimes you may have to repeat this.

Next time you store your lenses make sure you have fresh cleaning solution filling the case properly and that the lens is nicely submerged.   

People ask me this quite often, I imagine it has something to do with the current economic climate and a patients wish to get the most mileage from their contact lenses.

The short answer is this, with contact lenses you should follow the prescribed wear guidelines for replacement and of course the care instructions that come from the manufafcturer. This will ensure your contact lenses last for at least the period they were designed to last e.g. 1 day, 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month or possibly longer.

Trying to make your contact lenses last a bit longer puts your eyes at risk of infection which is obviously more serious than saving a few pounds.

Firstly - It's very important that you replace your contact lenses according your eye care professionals instructions and or the instructions from the manufacturer. Don't try to wear your daily contact lenses for more than a day or your monthly contact lenses for more than a month!

If you are wear monthly or weekly lenses and are unable to remember when you first started using a particular pair of contact lenses then the usual indications that a contact lens is near the end of its life are deposits on the lens, lens discolouration, hazy or unclear vision and or discomfort. If any of these indications occur your should change your contact lenses immediately as any of these can lead to other complications such as infection.

If after changing your contact lens your vision is still hazy or you notice any redness or discomfort you should remove your contact lenses and contact your eye care professional immediately. Always better to treat problems early especially when it comes to keeping your eyes safe and healthy.

With the state of the art of contact lenses as it is today, most people find contact lens wear is completely safe and trouble free.

However there is always a slight chance of infection when using contact lenses when compared with not wearing contact lenses. Particularly sleeping with your lenses in is riskier than taking them out each night, although extended wear contact lenses made of the new highly gas permeable silicone hydrogel materials do have a lower risk than standard extended wear contact lenses. Studies show that daily contact lenses that are replaced on a daily basis carry the lowest risk of infection as they are discarded so frequently. It’s worth noting however - Never reuse daily contact lenses as they are unsuitable for repeat use and don’t lend themselves to normal cleaning methods.

If you use 2 weekly disposable contact lenses, monthly contact lenses or extended wear contact lenses its worth keeping in mind the following if you wish to avoid problems :

Most eye infections are caused by contact lens wearers not caring for their lenses properly.
It is essential to clean and disinfect your contact lenses after you have removed them from your eyes and before you put them back in their storage case. This helps prevent proteins and nasties building up on the lens. Cleaning and disinfection simply involves soaking your lenses with contact lens cleaning solution in their storage case for a specific amount of time. Your eye care professional may also recommend a particular cleaning regime depending on the contact lens type and brand you are using. Never top up or reuse contact lens cleaning solution that is inside the contact lens case, it should be replaced with fresh cleaning solution every time the contact lenses are stored. Lastly only use the contact lens cleaning solution recommended by your eye care professional as not all will suit your particular prescription or brand of contact lens.

Coming in a close second as a leading source of eye infections for contact lens wearers are contact lens cases, either not being cleaned properly or changed on a monthly basis - yes you should be using a new one each month!
Rinse your storage case in contact lens cleaning solution then leave it to dry out completely every day ensuring that it is open at the time. Clean your contact lens storage case with a clean toothbrush (one that you have never actually used on your teeth!) and contact lens cleaning solution on a weekly basis. Remember to replace the entire case monthly even if it still looks good. A storage case is not the sort of thing to develop a sentimental attachment to. Dirty contact lens storage cases are a major source of eye infections.

Common situations to avoid:

• Never use saliva to wet your contact lenses – your mouth is full of bacteria you really don’t want in your eyes.
• Never let tap water come in contact with your contact lenses – there is chlorine in tap water that will do them no good at all.
• Never wear your contact lenses while swimming or showering – again you are best to avoid chlorine getting in your eyes.
• Never go to sleep with a painful red eye - seek medical advice immediately as infections can develop rapidly.
• Lastly a little reminder of the checklists your eye care professional probably already gave you when you first started wearing contact lenses

Every day ask yourself:

1. Can I see properly?
2. Do my eyes look good?
3. Do my eyes feel good?

If you answer “no” to any of the above or you have any concerns at all, take out you contact lenses immediately and go and see your eye care professional.

Having just seen a patient who managed to get hair spray on her contact lenses this morning, I thought I'd give you some tips on how to avoid getting makeup in your eyes.

Getting makeup in your eye can be quite painful and certainly slows you down in the morning. But it's even worse with contact lenses, this is because it often sticks to the lens instead of being blinked away.

Follow these handy tips to keep your eyes looking and feeling good and of course your contact lenses in good condition.

• Firstly, always wash your hands thoroughly before touching your contact lenses.
• Put in your contact lenses BEFORE applying your makeup.
• Only use non-allergenic makeup. This will reduce the likelihood of you rubbing your eyes and will help to keep you feeling comfortable.
• Choose water-based moisturisers rather than oil-based ones.
• Liquid or cream eye shadow is less likely to get in your eye than powder. However, creams may also irritate your eyes more if they do make it into your eyes.
• If you must use powder, keep your eyes closed during application. Try to brush off any excess powder before opening your eye.
• Apply eyeliner only on the portion of your eye lashes that is well away from your eye.
• Before you remove you eye makeup, wash and dry your hands thoroughly . Then remove your contact lenses, being careful not to make contact with any makeup.
• Once you have removed your contact lenses you can now safely use your eye makeup remover.

Its worth noting that eye makeup itsself is a fairly common cause of eye infections. So be safe and replace your eye makeup frequently — at least every three months. Through away old eye makeup, because over time bacteria will get into the product and then into your eyes if you accidentally use it

One way to tell if your makeup is too old is if it smells funny. Also, don't share your eye makeup with others! same way you wouldn't share your toothbrush!

I spend quite a bit of time every day showing new patients how to remove their new contact lenses. So for everyone who is too far away for me to see me in person I thought I’d write up this little "How To Remove your Contact Lenses " post.

So to start with and I cannot stress this enough - Always, always wash your hands before touching your eyes or trying to remove your contact lenses! This will greatly reduce your chances of contracting an eye infection.

Before you begin, use a clean paper napkin or something similar to cover the plug hole if you are standing in front of the sink. It's really easy to drop them down the drain accidentally if you are new to contact lens fitting and removal.

To remove soft contact lenses, look sideways or up and then gently pull down on your lower eyelid. Using your finger tip, gently slide the lens onto the white part of your eye. Once it is on the white of your eye, you can very gently pinch the lens with thumb and index finger and it will quite easily lift off your eye. It's worth considering the condition of your fingernails especially while you are getting the hang of the technique so as to avoid accidentally scratching your eye or damaging your contact lens.

With rigid contact lenses its a little easier. They can be easily removed by bending over and then opening your eye wide. Make sure you are holding out your hand in front of your face to catch the lens and then with a finger from your other hand, pull on the skin of your eye's outer corner. Be sure to pull in the direction of your ear and with your eye wide open, then blink and the rigid contact lens should pop right out and into your open hand.

There are tools for removing contact lenses known as "plungers". However I do not recommend these for lots of reasons - primarily it’s easier to hurt your eye if you do it wrong and also the plunger itself can become a source of infection.

I hope this helps and as always - if in doubt, go see your eye care professional