Can You Put Contact Lenses In Water Temporarily?

Contact lenses are a great alternative for glasses; but they come with their own set of pros and cons. There are many varieties to choose from and you can surely find the one that’s perfect for your needs. Colored contact lenses are great if you want to make a fashion statement, vision correction lenses allow you to have freedom and liberty to do a lot of things in life that may be difficult if you wear glasses. But they need a far more strict care regime than the glasses because lenses come in direct contact with your eyes, so you need them to be thoroughly clean.

There are many misconceptions about the cleaning of contact lenses and the most common one is; contact lenses can be cleaned with water. I can’t emphasize enough on the fact that it’s a complete No! Water and contacts never go well together and is a combination that should be avoided at all costs. A considerable amount of users fail to properly clean their lenses in the recommended way. Many people don’t give due importance to the contact lens solution. In this article I will try to eradicate all the doubts that one might have in using water instead of contact lens solution.

Can you put contact lenses in water temporarily?

The straight up answer to this question is no, never! Water is not at all an alternative to contact lens solution. Any type of water be it, tap, bottled, distilled or saline it’s not suitable for cleaning, storing, rinsing and disinfecting contact lenses. In some places like the UK the tap water is one of the safest; people assume that if it is clean enough to drink then must be safe for contacts as well. Eye care professionals strictly condemn tap water usage as contact lens cleaner. Though it may sound tempting and very easy, it can cause a lot of problems to your eyes.

Tap water contains bacteria and microorganisms, if you store your contacts lenses in water even for a short while, the bacteria can enter the contacts and adhere to it. When you put them back on they can cause you a rare eye disease called Acanthamoeba keratitis. This is a very serious infection of the cornea and can be extremely painful and agonizing. It can lead to cornea transplant and in the worst case scenario lead to blindness. Tap water or bottled water is not a disinfectant either. To properly clean your lenses mean to disinfect them and water doesn’t have disinfecting properties.

Letting contacts sit in water overnight or for just for a few hours, can let the bacteria and other contaminating pathogens to multiply in the meantime. Some people argue that distilled water is safe to store contacts once it’s boiled. Well, there is no way to be sure that all the bacteria and other living organisms have been killed in the process of boiling.

Saline water is saltwater, the pH levels are balanced. It is good to store the lenses once they have been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. If you put lenses in saline water without cleaning them, then the bacteria will still be there and stick to your eyes in the next wear. It should never be replaced as a contact lens solution.

Why is water such a bad option?

This is a grave fallacy but must be addressed in such a way that no doubt prevails. Water of any sorts is not like our tears. Tears keep our eyes moist and saturated. When we put the contact lenses in water, they absorb it and swell up. Holding onto the water can cause a serious problem. As the water contains microorganisms and bacteria they stick to the inside curve of the lenses and when applied to the eyes can result in microscopic cuts in the cornea. When the contacts absorb the water it swells up and changes the shape of the lens. It alters the actual fitting of the lens and can make them lose or tight. If lenses are loose on the eyes, they can move around and can be very dangerous. If lenses are tight on the eyes, they will feel uncomfortable, scratchy, and itchy, and may also cause redness.

Purify or get rid of the lenses that come in contact with any type of water. This may be due to any reason. The best solution is to throw them away, if that is not a possibility make sure you properly clean, disinfect and store them overnight in lens solution, overnight before putting them on again. This may reduce the chances of infection but still the safest option is to never let your contacts come anywhere near water.

How should I store or disinfect my contact lenses?

A contact lens solution recommended by your eye care professional is the only thing best suited for cleaning and decontaminating your lenses. It is a liquid made with many ingredients that ensure proper cleaning, storing and sanitizing of the lenses. Different types of solutions are manufactured to cater different types of lenses like soft lenses, rigid lenses, gas permeable lenses etc. They safeguard the shape of the lenses, keep them sterile and properly hydrate them so that you can experience a clear vision that is without any infection, discomfort and blur.

What if I don’t have my lens solution with me?

Well if you find yourself in troubled waters where you need to remove the contacts but you are out of solution. The best way is to throw them away and get a new one. It’s not worth the risk, trust me. Eyes are the most important sense and one must not take chances. Another great way is to switch to daily disposable lenses, no need to worry about cleaning, disinfecting and storing. Just take out a fresh pair every time.

Remember to never let your contacts come in contact with the water. Not for a few hours, not even once!

 

Colored Contact Lenses- What Works Best For You

Colored contacts can be safely put in the category of highly trendy accessory. From models doing catwalks on ramps to ordinary people walking on sidewalks, everyone can embrace this fashion. Many of us have already tried our hand at it and others are more than willing to join the bandwagon. You must have come across amazing looks on Halloween, carnivals and prom nights that made you wonder about the x-factor that made those looks standout from the crowd. Well, 90% of them must have worn colored contact lenses to accentuate their eyes that gives them the advantage over others competitors.  

Colored contact lenses are a daily ritual for many people who love to enhance their original eye color; others opt to do it once in a while on special occasions and take a complete detour to give themselves a whole new look. Whatever way you go, you must select the tint and color best suited for you. Contacts are gaining popularity among the masses and it’s like a household item now, cheap colored contacts are easily available in stores and online in an assortment of tints, colors and materials. Give them a shot and you will get hooked on this accessory.

There are two types of colored contact lenses:

Prescription colored contact lenses  

These types of lenses are for vision correction which also becomes a fashion add-on as they are colored. You need to have a proper eye examination for these from an eye care professional. They help to correct farsightedness, nearsightedness, astigmatism, dual focal points or disfigured corneas.

Plano colored contact lenses

Zero power lenses with no vision correction properties, purely used for cosmetic and fashion purposes. They tend to mimic the eyes by having fine lines and dots just like irises have. The center part is left unblemished to aid in a crisp and clear view of the world.

What colored contacts work best for you comes down to one question, what is your style and how much do you want to experiment with your eye color? There are many factors that can affect your choice and one must take them into consideration for the best possible result, which will boost your confidence and make you stand tall.

Tints

Visibility tint has the softest of sheen that has no impact on the eyes, it is there to make them more visible while cleaning and if you drop them they are easier to find due to the colored tint on them.

Enhancement tint has a more prominent color coat than the visibility tint has. It is perfect for those who love to draw attention to their eyes in the most subtle manner. A match made in heaven for those paler irises that just need little oomph and they are good to go.

Opaque tint is what ordinary people know as colored contacts. These are the ones that have the power to completely transform you and change the color of your eyes. You have dark eyes? No worries this tint can make your browns turn into sapphires or emeralds.

With so many options to choose from, the decision making is an unnerving and intimidating chore. Your hair color, complexion, personal preferences all have to be taken into account before making the ultimate choice. Whether you want a subdued change or you want a complete metamorphosis, is your vibe bold or elegant- it’s your choice at the end. Here I have tried to line up some simple guidelines for you to follow and I’m sure you will have the outcome that will be satisfactory and adequate to your needs.

What works best for brown eyes?

With over 50% of people in the world having brown eyes it’s only fair to address the options for this color first, right? Good news is that most colored contacts are designed for your brown eyes. The best result will be achieved by the opaque tint as the enhancement tint will not show up and will get muddled by the dark background. But that doesn’t mean that going all out with a high drama effect is your only option. Try going for a couple of shades lighter than your original like honey brown or light hazel, for those perfect night outs to steal all the limelight. Personally I feel that greens perfectly substitute the brown eyes. Jade, emerald, dark green and olive colors all are suited for brown eyes. Hazel colored contacts are my top recommendation but no one is stopping you to go for blue, violet or grey if you are confident in carrying them.

What works best for blue eyes?

The best course of action is to retain your original color and have fun with enhancing it. Enhancement tint is your go to if you have blue colored eyes. It will bring out the natural color with intensity and give a touch of refinement and sophistication. But if you are looking for a complete change then your options are greens or light brown. The former will set you apart and people will notice you from 5 feet apart but with the latter, people will sit up and notice you. Now you have to decide how much attention you want to draw.

What works best for green eyes?

Perhaps the only color that compliments all skin tones, naturally. Again it depends on your choice of how bold or muted look you aim to accomplish. Enhancement tint works best for light green or hazel color eyes but if your color is more toward olive tone then opaque tint gives you limitless options to play from. I recommend going for either grey or blue lenses.

Every eye color is beautiful naturally but we all want to revamp our looks every now and then to break the monotony and perk up our appearance. Sometimes we crave for what others have, or what we don’t have. So don’t be too hard on yourself, indulge in self-love with no guilt. The only thing to keep in mind is not to experiment too much; it should be cohesive with your personality.