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Contact Lens Care

Keep your eyes safe! Take time to care for your contact lenses. Here are some tips for keeping your eyes healthy and comfortable while you wear contacts.

What To Do

Wash and rinse your hands before touching your lenses.
Use only the lens cleaners and eye drops that your eye doctor suggests.
Follow the directions that came with your lenses, lens cleaner, and eye drops.
Take care of your lens case. Clean, rinse, and dry it each time you take out the lenses. Get a new case every six months.
Get your eye doctor's OK using any new or different medicines. Tell your doctor about things you can buy without a prescription, like eye drops or lens cleaners.
Use eye makeup that is safe for contact lens users.
Take out your lenses and call your eye doctor right away if:
- your vision changes.
- your eyes are red.
- your eyes hurt or feel itchy.
- you have a lot of tears.

What Not to Do

Never spit on your lenses to clean them.
Never use tap water, bottled water, or salt water made at home to store or rinse your lenses. It can cause infections.
Never mix different cleaners or drops.
Never let lotions, creams, or sprays touch your lenses.
Don't use eyeliner on the inside of your lower eyelid.
Never wear lenses when you swim or go into a hot tub.
Never wear your lenses when you are using cleaning products.
Never wear daily-wear lenses when you sleep--not even during a nap.
Never wear your lenses longer than you eye doctor tells you to.

Contact lenses may cause major eye problems.

If you notice a problem, take out your lenses right away and see your doctor.

If You Have a Problem

Contact lenses may cause major eye problems.
If you notice a problem, take out your lenses right away and see your doctor.
Report the problems to FDA's MedWatch program. Call 1-800-FDA-1088.
You can also fill out the form on the web. Go to www.fda.gov/medwatch/. Always contact your doctor for medical advice. There are different kinds of lenses. Make sure you know which kind you have.

Contact Lens Quick Guide
What kind of lens is it?	How long can I wear them?	When do I clean my lenses?
Disposable Lenses Lenses that you throw away	You can wear the lenses for one day.	You don't need to clean them. You use new lenses each day.
Daily Wear Lenses Lenses you use again and again	You can wear them for one day. Take them out when you go to bed or even take a nap.	Clean and rinse the lenses every time you take them out. Clean them if you have not worn the lenses in a long time.
Extended Wear Lenses Lenses you can leave in for up to 30 days, even while you sleep	FDA has only approved these lenses to be worn all the time for up to 30 days.	After 30 days, you need to take the lenses out and clean them. They can increase your chances of getting small sores on the eyeballs. See your doctor right away if: Your sight changes. Your eyes get red. Your eyes hurt or feel itchy. You have a lot of tears.

To learn more:

Call the Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH)
at 1-888-463-6332 or 301-827-3990 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. EST.

Read the FDA Consumer article "Proper Care Gives Safer Wear"
www.fda.gov/fdac/features/1998/298_len1.html

Always contact your doctor for medical advice.

August 2005

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