Coming to Terms with Contact Lenses’ Prescriptions and Their Expiration

Despite all the information available about contact lenses, there is still one area where misconceptions crop up concerning the nature of contacts and their use: prescriptions and their expirations.

Eye doctors and contact lens sellers remain surprised that a good number of people continue to ask why they need a prescription to wear contact lenses. In cases like these, the prevailing notion seems to be that contacts are somehow just a fashion accessory and not the controlled medical devices that they are. It is true that patients have been given greater freedom to shop around for their lenses since the federal government required that contact wearers have a copy of their prescription. However, this freedom may have fostered assumptions that contacts have become less controlled. No one would think of taking a medication to treat a serious illness without benefit of a doctor’s prescription because that medication must be monitored so it will do no harm. The same holds true for contacts. A lens that fits poorly, is not perfectly matched to your vision power, or is made from material not best suited for your eyes will cause problems. Not only is discomfort a most likely result, but inflammation, infection, and permanent damage to eye tissue are also risks.

Once you have the proper prescription it is important to remember that it is subject to expiration, in most cases after one year. Your eyes may continue to feel good and lens wear remains comfortable, but there could be microscopic changes in your eye health that are not noticeable. An annual exam with your eye doctor assures that any potential problems with your eyes are caught and corrected before they become serious. These regular exams also keep up with how your lenses are performing and allows for any required updates in regards to power, size, material, or design.

In addition to prescription expiration, soft contact lenses themselves have a time limit placed on them. Despite the airtight packaging used on most brands of soft contacts, the passage of time may weaken or compromise the seal. This leads to contamination of the sterile saline solution and the lens inside. Expiration dates can be found on the box and on the lens’ foil wrapper. Dates are printed in a year-month format, meaning the contacts within can be used until the last day of the month in the calendar year indicated (e.g. 2014/12 means you can use the lenses until December 31, 2014). Once an expiration date has been reached, discard the lenses immediately and obtain fresh ones.

Contact lenses provide great convenience and comfort regarding vision correction, but it is important to remember that they also impact a most sensitive part of our bodies, the eyes. Regular and timely visits with your eye doctor are necessary to maintain eye health and to make sure they are enhanced--not harmed--by the contacts we choose.

Contact Lenses and Solutions

Conscientious contact wearers are fully aware that taking proper care of their lenses is important and vital to continued eye health. The cleaning and storing regimen is a major part of this care.

There are various types of solutions made to accomplish safe cleaning and storage and it is easy to become confused about which does what. The following breakdown may be helpful.
· Cleaning solutions remove bacteria and debris, including dirt and mucous.
· Disinfecting solutions are used when storing your lenses, killing bacteria when you are not wearing your contacts.
· Multi-purpose solutions combine cleansers with disinfectants and can be used to remove proteins on lenses that come from tears.
· Peroxide solutions are also disinfectants, but most importantly come with a neutralizing agent that must be employed to convert the peroxide to saline before contacts can be placed on the eye. Peroxide in the eye will cause serious injury.
· Enzyme cleaners and protein removers target tear deposits that may irritate eyes.
· Rewetting solutions moisten lenses during the course of the day as they become dry; also called comfort drops, they can extend lens wear.
· Rinsing solutions basically wash across lenses to ready them for use, but do not kill bacteria.

Solutions should not be kept beyond their expiration dates; neither should they be mixed unless okayed by a doctor.

With all the above information, not to mention expense, an obvious question would be why not use tap water as a cleanser? Because despite the best filtration systems, tap water carries microorganisms and bacteria that can cause serious eye infections such as Acanthamoeba keratitis, a parasite-triggered condition that is sometimes difficult to diagnose and leads to permanent vision loss if allowed to advance. Bottled and distilled water are also off limits as impromptu solutions for the same reason.

It is also important to remember that swimming pools, hot tubs, and other recreational waters pose the same potential health risks if water is splashed in the eyes while wearing contacts. If this happens, remove the lenses as soon as possible, rinse and store them overnight to a proper disinfecting solution. A way to avoid this problem, especially if you are a ‘water-loving’ person who has no solution handy, is to carry disposable contacts. Disposables can be discarded and replaced once you leave the pool, lake or tub.

As for selecting the right solution for reusable lens care, your eye doctor is the person to go to for the information you need to navigate the various types and brands available. In fact, consultation is vital for first-time contact wearers and those wishing to switch from an established care regimen.

You enjoy the comfort and convenience provided by contacts. By approaching the cleaning and care aspects in an informed and responsible manner, you will ensure your healthy enjoyment of lenses for years to come.