3 Tips to stay in your Contact Lenses this Spring

Spring is such a nice time of year to enjoy the great outdoors.  However, in many places in the U.S., the pollen counts climb very high this time of year.  Eye allergies can be a burden to your eyes especially if they are already dry.   

If you want to continue wearing your contact lenses, you may have to do a little extra work this time of year.  Here are three steps you can take to keep your eyes happy while wearing contact lenses.  

No. 1) Wraparound Sunglasses 

Wear wraparound sunglasses when you are outdoors. When you are wearing your contact lenses outdoors, it is best to protect your eyes with sunglasses.  In the springtime, wraparound sunglasses will decrease the amount of pollen getting to your eyes. This type of sunglasses has shields, or coverage, on the sides.  So, wind and pollen will not find its way into your eyes. 

No. 2) Hydrogen Peroxide-Based Cleaner 

At the end of the day, clean your contact lenses with a hydrogen peroxide-based cleaner. My favorite is Clear Care by Alcon. The hydrogen peroxide-based cleaners are the best way to get your contact lenses clean and free of pollen. These cleaners do not require you to rub your lenses. The hydrogen peroxide reaction will remove the pollen and dirt from the contact lenses for you. 

Please watch the video for a demonstration on how to use the clear care solution. It is important to note that you must leave your contact lenses in the hydrogen peroxide-based cleaners for at least six hours for the chemical reaction to complete.  Six hours does not mean five hours and 45 minutes. If you insert your lenses in your eyes before the chemical reaction has completed there will be hydrogen peroxide left on your lenses. This will burn your eyes and feel very, very bad.    

No. 3) Daily Disposable Contact Lenses 

You may want to consider switching to a daily disposable contact lens during this time of year.  Daily disposable lenses are thrown away at the end of each day. This means you are using a fresh, clean contact lens each morning.  You do not need to worry about the pollen that remained on your lenses from yesterday, but you still need to prevent more pollen from getting on your lenses throughout the day today.  Refer back to tip 1. 

These lenses are a great alternative to the traditional contact lenses that must be cleaned every night.  There are many daily disposable contact lens options available. These lenses now come in colors, astigmatism, and multifocal corrections.  So, almost no matter what type of contact lens correction you need, you can find a daily disposable lens to fit your needs.  Please see your eye doctor to schedule an appointment to be fitted with these daily disposable lenses.   

Usually, these lenses come in 30, and 90 packs of lenses.  If you cannot afford to switch to daily disposables for everyday wear, consider using them for vacations and allergy season.  They can be a little pricey if you need a specialty lens, like a toric or a multifocal.  But, you can buy a smaller amount of them to utilize when you need them most. 

There you have it.  Don’t let Springtime allergies keep you out of your contact lenses.  Try these tips to increase your comfort with your lenses and your wear time because everyone deserves clear, comfortable vision.