How Often Should You Replace Your Contact Lens Case?

Do you remember how long has it been since you replaced or changed your contact lens case? Too long that you cannot remember? We tend to focus more on the lens itself and often ignore about the dire condition in which your lens case is. Everything eventually needs to get replaced, be it your toaster, your toothbrush or your contact lens case. The latter is very important to be replaced if you value your vision health. It is important to replace or change your contact lens case a minimum of every three months to prevent infection and irritation of the eyes. ⁽¹⁾

Continuous use of the same contact lens case causes bacterial contamination and leads to some serious eye infections. ⁽³⁾ With every new bottle of solution you buy, you are usually given a new contacts lens case also.

It is important to rinse your lens case using fresh solution and letting it air dry in the morning before you use it again.

Your contact lens solution also needs to be changed every day; however, over a period of time, bacteria from the surrounding environment and your fingers can accumulate in the case. The fact that many of us tend to keep the contact lens case in the bathroom increases the chances of contamination. According to a study, there were about tens of thousands of bacteria found in only a tiny volume of one person’s contact solution, even though that person was using fresh solution daily!

As mentioned before, it is highly recommended to change your contact lens case and buy a new one at least once in three months. You can also follow the below mentioned tips to keep the bacteria away from your lens case:

• It is important to empty the contact solution from the case and clean it with solution and clean fingers daily.
• It is extremely important to always and always wash your hands using soap and water before touching your contacts lens and its case.
• The case of the contacts lens should be air dried by placing it upside down on napkin or a paper towel before you put back the lid.
• You should not let the tip of the solution bottle to come in touch with the case, because it can contain lot of contaminants.
• It is important to boil the lens case for 5 minutes in water after which you should rinse it with solution for sanitization purpose in between replacements.

Eyes are more vulnerable to bacterial infection, and if your contact lens is dirty, then it can not only cause irritation and itching of the eyes, but can also be detrimental to the vision health in the future. That is why it is important to stress on replacing your case every three months at least. One should try to imbibe good hygiene habits in life; more so when it comes to the health of your eyes. That is why, do not ignore that dirty contact lens case and throw it away and purchase a new one every 1 to three months!

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Also Read:

• Contact Lens Infection: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, Home Remedies, Prevention
• What Happens When You Sleep With Contact Lenses?
• Factors to Consider When Choosing The Right Contact Lenses For Yourself