Here are some safety tips you should follow if you wear contact lenses.

Make sure to:

• Get regular eye exams to assure the continued health of your eyes.
• Always have a back-up pair of glasses with a current prescription in the event that you have problems with your contact lenses.
• Always ask your eye care professional before using any medicine or using topical eye products, even those you buy without a prescription. Some medicines may affect your vision or irritate your eyes.
• Ask your eye care professional about wearing glasses or contact lenses during sports activities to minimize your chance of injury.
• Apply cosmetics after inserting lenses and remove your lenses before removing makeup.
• Apply any aerosol products (hairspray, cologne, and deodorant) before inserting lenses.
• Always inform your employer if you wear contact lenses. Some jobs may require the use of eye protection equipment or may require that you not wear lenses.
• Follow and save the directions that come with your lenses. If you didn’t get a patient information booklet, request one from your eye care professional or look for one on the manufacturer’s website.
• Replace contacts as recommended by your eye care professional. Throw away disposable lenses after recommended wearing period.

Do Not:

• Sleep in daily wear lenses because it may increase your chance of infection or irritation.
• Purchase contact lenses from gas stations, video stores, record shops, or any other vendor not authorized by law to dispense contact lenses. Contact lenses are medical devices that require a prescription. See Buying Contact Lenses to help you take simple precautions to make your purchase safe and effective.
• Swap contact lens with another person. Swapping provides a way to transfer germs between people. Contact lenses are individually fitted. Incorrectly fitted lenses may cause permanent eye injury, infection and may potentially lead to blindness.
• Smoke. Studies show that smokers who wear contact lenses have a higher rate of problems (adverse reactions) than nonsmokers.
• Swim while wearing contact lenses. There is a risk of eye infection from bacteria in swimming pool water, hot tubs, lakes and the ocean

To view a video on handling, inserting, removing and caring for your contact lenses, go to:

American Optometric Association
For more tips on how to care for your lenses, see Contact Lens Solutions and Products

Wearing contact lenses puts you at risk of several serious conditions including eye infections and corneal ulcers. These conditions can develop very quickly and can be very serious. In rare cases, these conditions can cause blindness.

You can not determine the seriousness of a problem that develops when you are wearing contact lenses. You have to get help from an eye care professional to determine your problem.

If you experience any symptoms of eye irritation or infection,

• remove your lenses immediately and do not put them back in your eyes.
• contact your eye care professional right way.
• don't throw away your lenses. Store them in your case and take them to your eye care professional. He or she may want to use them to determine the cause of your symptoms.
• report serious eye problems associated with your lenses to the FDA’s MedWatch reporting program.

Symptoms of Eye Irritation or Infection

• discomfort
• excess tearing or other discharge
• unusual sensitivity to light
• itching, burning, or gritty feelings
• unusual redness
• blurred vision
• swelling
• pain

Serious Hazards of Contact Lenses

Symptoms of eye irritation can indicate a more serious condition. Some of the possible serious hazards of wearing contact lenses are corneal ulcers, eye infections, and even blindness.

Corneal ulcers are open sores in the outer layer of the cornea. They are usually caused by infections. To reduce your chances of infection, you should:

• Rub and rinse your contact lenses as directed by your eye care professional.
• Clean and disinfect your lenses properly according to the labeling instructions.
• Do not “top-off” the solutions in your case. Always discard all of the left over contact lens solution after each use. Never reuse any lens solution.
• Do not expose your contact lenses to any water: tap, bottled, distilled, lake or ocean water. Never use non-sterile water (distilled water, tap water or any homemade saline solution). Tap and distilled water have been associated with Acanthamoeba keratitis, a corneal infection that is resistant to treatment and cure.
• Remove your contact lenses before swimming. There is a risk of eye infection from bacteria in swimming pool water, hot tubs, lakes and the ocean
• Replace your contact lens storage case every 3-6 months.

Other Risks of Contact Lenses

Other risks of contact lenses include

• pink eye (conjunctivitis)
• corneal abrasions
• eye irritation

For more information about the risks associated with contact lenses, go to:

• Advice for Patients With Soft Contact Lenses: Acanthamoeba Keratitis Infections Related to Complete® MoisturePlus Multi Purpose Contact Lens Solution
  http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/Safety/AlertsandNotices/PatientAlerts/ucm064695.htm
• Advice for Patients with Soft Contact Lenses: New Information on Risk of Serious Fungal Infection
  http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/Safety/AlertsandNotices/PatientAlerts/UCM064709
• Contact Lenses and Eye Infections
  http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/contacts.html
• Corneal Ulcers and Infections
  MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia
• Eye Conditions: Acanthamoeba Keratitis
  American Optometric Association

There are a variety of solutions that can be used for the various types of contact lenses. But these solutions can also cause serious problems if not used correctly. Incorrect care of contact lens solutions can increase your risk of eye infections and corneal ulcers. These conditions can develop very quickly and can be very serious. In rare cases, these conditions can cause blindness.

To reduce your risk of infections:

• Always wash your hands before handling contact lenses to reduce the chance of getting an infection.
• Remove the lenses immediately and consult your eye care professional if your eyes become red, irritated, or your vision changes.
• Always follow the directions of your eye care professional and all labeling instruction for proper use of contact lenses and lens care products.
• Use contact lens products and solutions recommended by your eye care professional.
• Do not use contact lens solutions that have gone beyond the expiration or discard date.
• Sterile saline solutions are only to be used for rinsing. They are not to be used for cleaning and disinfecting your lenses.
• Rub and rinse your contact lenses as directed by your eye care professional.
• Clean and disinfect your lenses properly following all labeling instructions provided with your lens care products
• Do not “top-off” the solutions in your case. Always discard all of the left over contact lens solution after each use. Never reuse any lens solution.
• Do not expose your contact lenses to any water: tap, bottled, distilled, lake or ocean water. Never use non-sterile water (distilled water, tap water or any homemade saline solution). Exposure of contact lenses to water has been associated with Acanthamoeba keratitis, a corneal infection that is resistant to treatment and cure.
• Do not put your lenses in your mouth to wet them. Saliva is not a sterile solution.
• Clean, rinse and air-dry your lens case each time lenses are removed. You may want to flip over your lens case while air drying so excess solution may drain out of the case. Contact lens cases can be a source of bacterial growth.
• Replace your contact lens storage case every 3-6 months.
• Do not transfer contact lens solutions into smaller travel size containers. This can effect the sterility of the solution which can lead to an eye infection. Transferring solutions into smaller size containers may also leave consumers open to accidentally using a solution not intended for the eyes.

To view a video on handling, inserting, removing and caring for your contact lenses, go to:

American Optometric Association
http://www.aoa.org/x8024.xml

For more tips on how to care for your lenses, see Everyday Eye Care

Contact lens sales are regulated by both the FDA and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Before you buy any contact lenses from someone other than your eye care professional, the FDA wants you to be a wise consumer. With a valid contact lens prescription, it is possible to purchase your contact lenses from stores, the Internet, over the phone or by mail. The following questions and answers should help you take simple precautions to make your purchase safe and effective.

What do I need to consider when buying contact lenses?

• Is your contact lens prescription current? You should always have a current, valid prescription when you order contact lenses.
• If you have not had a check-up in the last one to two years, you may have problems with your eyes that you are not aware of, or your contact lenses may not correct your vision well.
• The expiration date for your prescription is currently set by your state. Some require a one-year renewal, some a two-year renewal. If your state has not set a minimum expiration date, Federal regulation sets a one year date unless your eye care professional determines that there’s a medical reason for less than one year.
• To be sure that your eyes remain healthy you should not order lenses with a prescription that has expired or stock up on lenses right before the prescription is about to expire. It’s safer to be re-checked by your eye care professional.

What does a valid contact lens prescription include?

As defined by FTC regulations, a prescription should contain sufficient information for a seller to completely and accurately fill the prescription. This includes the following items:

• Patient’s name
• Examination date
• Date patient receives prescription after a contact lens fitting (issue date) and expiration date of prescription
• Name, address, phone number and fax number of prescriber
• Power
• Material and/or manufacturer of the prescribed contact lens
• Base curve or appropriate designation of the prescribed contact lens
• Diameter, when appropriate, of the prescribed contact lens
• For a private label contact lens, the name of the manufacturer, trade name of the private label brand, and if applicable, trade name of equivalent brand name

Will I get in legal trouble if I buy contact lenses without a copy of my prescription?

• You won’t break any laws, but the company is selling you a prescription device as if it were an over-the-counter device. In legal terms, this misbrands the device. The company is also violating FTC regulations by selling you contact lenses without having your prescription. For more information, see the The Contact Lens Rule: A Guide for Prescribers and Sellers.

What can I do to avoid serious problems when buying my contact lenses?

• Order your contact lenses from a supplier you are familiar with and know is reliable. Contact lenses are often more complex than they appear.
• Request the manufacturer’s written patient information for your contact lenses. It will give you important risk/benefit information as well as instructions for use.
• Beware of attempts to substitute a different brand than you presently have. While this may be acceptable in some situations, there are differences in the water content and shape between different brands. The correct choice of which lens is right for you should be based only on an examination by your eye care professional, not over the phone.
• Carefully check to make sure the company gives you the
  • exact brand
  • lens name
  • power
    • sphere
    • cylinder, if any
    • axis, if any
  • diameter
  • base curve
  • peripheral curves, if any

If you think you have received an incorrect lens, check with your eye care professional. Don’t accept a substitution unless your eye care professional approves it.

Where can I report problems that I have when buying contact lenses?

• If you find a Web site you think is illegally selling contact lenses over the Web, you should report it to FDA.
• If you do not get the exact lenses that you ordered, you should report the problem directly to the company that supplied them.
• To file a complaint about prescribing practices to FTC, use the FTC Consumer Complaint Form.

Contact lenses are the number one choice for many people with vision correction needs. For many, contact lenses provide flexibility and convenience. There are many different lenses available for a variety of needs and preferences. Contact lenses can be used to correct a variety of vision disorders such as Myopia (nearsightedness), Hyperopia (farsightedness), Astigmatism, and Presbyopia (poor focusing with reading material and other near vision tasks).

This website gives information about the latest innovations on contact lenses. It provides general information and is not meant to replace a discussion with your eye care professional.

You can buy contact lenses only if you have a current, valid prescription.

Important Contact Lens Care Tips

• Follow recommended wearing schedule.
• Do not substitute sterile saline solutions for multi-purpose solutions.
• Rub and rinse your contact lenses as directed by your eye care professional.
• Do not “top-off” the solutions in your case. Always discard all of the leftover contact lens solution after each use. Never reuse any lens solution.
• Clean, rinse and air-dry your lens case each time lenses are removed.
• Do not expose your contact lenses to any water: tap, bottled, distilled, lake or ocean water.
• Contact your eye care professional if you experience any symptoms of eye irritation or infection.

When you get an eye exam, you have the right to get a copy of your prescription. You can use this prescription at another vendor or to order contact lenses on the Internet, over the phone, or by mail. See Buying Contact Lenses.

As defined by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations, a prescription should contain sufficient information for a seller to completely and accurately fill the prescription. This includes the following items:

• Patient's name
• Examination date
• Date patient receives prescription after a contact lens fitting (issue date) and expiration date of prescription
• Name, address, phone number and fax number of prescriber
• Power
• Material and/or manufacturer of the prescribed contact lens
• Base curve or appropriate designation of the prescribed contact lens
• Diameter, when appropriate, of the prescribed contact lens
• For a private label contact lens, the name of the manufacturer, trade name of the private label brand, and if applicable, trade name of equivalent brand name