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Contact lenses in Vasco: fitting, supply and safe use

Contact lenses sit directly on the cornea, the clear front window of the eye. Used well, they give clear, wide vision without frames, which many people like for sport, work and special occasions. Used carelessly, they can cause infections that threaten sight. This page explains who can wear lenses, the types available, what happens at a fitting, and the rules that keep your eyes safe.

Who can wear contact lenses?

Most people with short sight, long sight or astigmatism can wear contact lenses. People over 40 who need reading power have options too, such as multifocal lenses. Teenagers often manage well once they can handle the lenses and follow the hygiene rules. Lenses may not suit you, or may need extra care, if you:

• get frequent eye infections, or have eye flu (conjunctivitis) at present;
• have marked dry eye or a strong eye allergy that is not under control;
• work in very dusty or smoky places;
• find it hard to keep up the cleaning and replacement routine.

The eye doctor decides after examining your eyes. For a balanced comparison, read glasses or contact lenses: which is better?

Types of contact lenses

• Daily disposable soft lenses: a fresh pair each day, thrown away at night. No cleaning or case is needed, which removes several hygiene risks. They suit occasional wearers well.
• Two-weekly and monthly soft lenses: cleaned and stored in fresh solution every night, and thrown away on schedule from the day you first open them, even if you wore them only a few times.
• Toric soft lenses: designed to stay in one position on the eye, to correct astigmatism.
• Multifocal soft lenses: for people over 40 who need both distance and reading power. They do not suit everyone, and a trial shows whether they work for you.
• Coloured or cosmetic lenses: even lenses with no power are medical devices. They need the same fitting and the same hygiene, and should never be bought from a fair, salon or street stall.
• Rigid gas-permeable lenses: firmer lenses used for some eye conditions and some high powers. The eye doctor will discuss them if your eyes need them.

What happens at a contact lens fitting?

1. An eye check. The eye doctor looks at the cornea, the eyelids and the tear film, and your power is measured. If you are also due a power check for spectacles, see eye test for glasses.
2. Measurements. The size and curve of the front of your eye are measured so that the lens sits and moves correctly.
3. Trial lenses. You wear a trial lens for a short time while the fit, movement and vision are checked.
4. Teaching. You learn to put lenses in, take them out, and clean and store them, and you practise until you can do it yourself.
5. Follow-up. A check after the first period of wear makes sure your eyes are coping, then regular checks after that.

A spectacle prescription is not a contact lens prescription. The power can differ, especially at higher powers, and a contact lens also has its own size and curve, which only a fitting can decide.

The safety rules

• Wash your hands with soap and dry them on a clean towel before touching your lenses.
• Keep lenses away from all water: tap water, the shower, swimming pools and the sea. Water can carry germs such as Acanthamoeba, which cause a severe, hard-to-treat eye infection.
• Do not sleep in your lenses, even for a short nap, unless your eye doctor has said your lenses are meant for overnight wear.
• Use fresh solution every time. Never top up old solution, and never use water or saliva to wet a lens.
• Rub and rinse the lenses with solution if your solution's instructions say so.
• Rinse the case with solution, let it air-dry face down, and replace it at least every three months.
• Throw lenses away on schedule, and never share lenses, including coloured lenses.
• Ask before using any eye drops while wearing lenses.
• Always keep an up-to-date pair of spectacles as a backup.

Warning signs: take the lens out and get checked

Remove your lenses and see an eye doctor the same day if you notice a red eye, pain, sensitivity to light, blurred vision, discharge, or a white spot on the cornea. A contact lens infection of the cornea (a corneal ulcer) can damage sight within days. Do not put the lenses back in, and bring the lenses and the case with you. ReNew Vision provides emergency eye care 24 hours a day.

Contact lenses in Goa's climate

• Beach and swimming: take lenses out before you go into the sea or a pool, or wear well-sealed swimming goggles.
• Monsoon eye flu: when eye flu is going round, wash your hands often and do not touch your eyes. If you catch it, stop wearing lenses until the eye doctor says the eye has fully healed, and throw away the lenses and case you were using.
• Air-conditioned offices: dry air can make lenses uncomfortable. Blink often, take breaks, and tell the eye doctor if your eyes feel dry.
• Scooter rides: wind and dust can get behind lenses; a helmet visor or sunglasses helps.

Our guide to spectacle and lens care in humid weather has more monsoon tips.

Getting started at ReNew Vision

Contact lens fittings are done during the eye OPD, Monday to Saturday, 4 pm to 7 pm. Bring your spectacles and, if you have worn lenses before, the lens box or details. Call or WhatsApp 072489 88039 to ask about fitting times. The Vision Correction Centre page lists everything else it provides.

Questions patients ask

Can I wear contact lenses every day?

Yes, if they have been fitted for you and you follow the wearing time the eye doctor advises. Most people do well with lenses during the day and spectacles in the evening, which gives the eyes a rest.

Can I swim or go into the sea wearing contact lenses?

No. Sea, pool and tap water can carry germs that cause serious eye infections. Take your lenses out before swimming, or wear well-sealed goggles, and wash your hands before handling lenses afterwards.

Is it safe to buy coloured contact lenses without a fitting?

No. Coloured lenses, even those with no power, are medical devices. A poorly fitting lens can scratch the cornea or cause infection. Get them fitted at an eye hospital and follow the same hygiene rules as for any lens.

Can I sleep with my contact lenses in?

Not unless your eye doctor has prescribed lenses for overnight wear. Sleeping in lenses, even for a nap, raises the risk of a corneal infection several times over.

What should I do if my eye turns red while wearing lenses?

Take the lens out and do not put it back. If there is pain, blurring or sensitivity to light, or the redness does not clear quickly, see an eye doctor the same day and bring the lenses and case. ReNew Vision provides emergency eye care 24 hours a day.

At what age can children wear contact lenses?

There is no fixed age. Many teenagers manage lenses well once they can handle them and follow hygiene rules, and younger children sometimes need lenses for medical reasons. The eye doctor decides together with the family.

This page is general eye-health information, not personal medical advice. Your eye doctor advises you after examining your eyes.