FAQ’s
 

What is more environmentally safe, a daily replacement or reusable lenses? At first glance, one would think the reusable lenses are better because there is less plastic used in manufacturing, but the bottles for solution are worse. When lenses are made the manufacturers minimize the excess plastic and reuse it. The individual lens containers can be recycled. Collect them and old lenses and recycle them in a bag, the individual packages are too small and will fall out during the recycling process and go into the land fill. Feel free to bring them into our office and we will recycle them for you.

How does where I discard my lenses effect our environment? According to a study done by Arizona State University, more than 6 metric tons of lenses end up in wastewater annually. These lenses breakdown and contribute to microplastic pollution. These small pieces of plastic cannot be filtered out like larger ones can and end up in the oceans. Because they are heavier than water, they drop to the bottom and are eaten by bottom feeders re-entering the food chain. So, please throw your lenses away with the solid waste or better yet, save them to recycle (see above question).

Can I order contacts on line? A conditional yes is given. If you are looking to get the best pricing, often buying online is not the way to go. We at Dr C Optometry, strive to be very competitive with online prices. Be sure to use a reputable site, some sites have been known to substitute similar products, ship expired or discontinued products and have even purchased lenses on the black market that were not intended to be sold in the USA. If there is a problem you should be able to reach customer service to help you.

Can I wear my daily disposable lenses a second day? No, the FDA has required extensive studies on the use of all contact lenses sold here in the USA. After reviewing all the studies they conclude what is a healthy wear schedule for a particular lens. For the daily use lenses, the FDA has approved them for only one day.

What lubricating drops can I use with contacts in? Be sure lubricating drops say they’re compatible with soft or gas permeable lenses. You can also use the same drops without the lenses in if eyes are irritated.

Do I need to rub my lenses when I take them out at night? If you reuse your lenses the lenses should be rubbed for 15-20 seconds with your disinfecting solution before putting them in the case. Rubbing removes dirt, pollen, proteins and lipids from the lens and the disinfectant kills organisms.

Do I need to use fresh disinfecting solution daily? Emphatically, yes! In order to get effective kill rates for the organisms new solution MUST be used daily. Dump out last night’s solution, rinse, and leave the case to air dry all day. Tonight, add fresh solution.

How often should I replace or clean my case? Having a clean case helps prevent infections. Think about this: You wash your hands before removing your lenses, right? Now you open the case (one side at a time so you don’t mix them up). Think back on where that case has been…in your purse, backpack or briefcase? How many germs from the outside of the case got onto your fingers? (The 5-second rule doesn’t count here). And now you are putting your finger on the contact to put it in your eye, transferring the germs again. Replace your case every 3 months or when it is dirty (inside or outside). If you carry the case with you, put it in a Ziploc bag to help keep it clean.