Birmingham Contact Lens Specialist: Healthy Vision Tips

Birmingham Contact Lens Specialist Dr. Catherine Murphy, an Optometrist at Alabama Eye & Cataract Center gave us some tips for wearing contact lenses and maintaining healthy vision. “With all the advertising and mail order contact lenses it’s pretty easy to forget that contact lenses are a medical device. Even contacts worn purely for cosmetic purposes, should be prescribed and properly fit by a licensed eye care professional," explained Dr. Murphy. "Too many patients forget this and end up buying and wearing contact lenses without proper medical guidance and a valid prescription. Then, often without even realizing it, they put themselves at risk for serious, even blinding eye infections," stressed Dr. Murphy. 

Following the instructions given to you by your eye doctor-carefully and completely can go a long way to help avoid contact lens problems and complications. "Our experience clearly shows that by not following instructions on proper wear and care, contact lens wearers are more likely to have discomfort and may actually put themselves at greater risk for infection or other serious complications, such as microbial keratitis," said Dr. Murphy. “We often find that improper storage, handling and disinfection of contact lenses really predispose patients to unnecessary risk.” 

Some good contact lens care, handling and disinfection tips to follow include: 

• Always wash your hands with soap before inserting or removing your contact lenses.
• Always empty the storage case of disinfection solution after removing your lenses, and fully refill with fresh solution before storing them. 
• NEVER clean your case with tap water. 
• REGULARLY-even daily- clean your case.
• REGULARLY-at least monthly- replace your case. 

If you or someone you know has questions about contact lens care, handling and disinfection please call Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham at 205-930-0930, visiting Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or facebook.com/michelsonlaservision. 

Michelson Laser Vision and Alabama Eye & Cataract Center are leading eye care centers in Birmingham staffed by a team of specialists including eye doctors who are fellowship trained cornea specialists and cataract and lens implant specialists-all board certified Ophthalmologists & Corneal Specialists-as well as Optometrists, Opticians, technical and administrative staff who provide eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser eye surgery such as LASIK for laser vision correction, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, care for diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma and fitting of eyeglasses and eyewear.