Taking care of your eyes is important year-round. However, the summer months bring problems including increased UV exposure and allergies. This can be especially troublesome for contact lens wearers.

Luckily, there are several ways that those of you who wear contact lenses can look after your eyes this summer. Here are our top 5 summertime contact lens tips for you:

Wearing sunglasses can help to protect your eyes from UV rays.Contact lenses come with some UV protection, but not enough, but add a pair of sunglasses that offer 100% UV protection on top, and you’ll be completely shaded from the sun’s intense rays!

As a contact lens wearer, you never know if irritants such as pollen or dirt, might get trapped under your contacts and aggravate your eyes. That’s why when you go out, we advise you take a spare pair of glasses or contact lenses with you.

If you’re hoping to cool off this summer by going swimming, make sure you keep your contact lenses dry by wear swimming goggles over them, or taking them out beforehand.

The water that you’re swimming in may contain microorganisms that get stuck to your contacts or enter your eyes. This can irritate them and cause bacterial eye infections – some of which can end up being pretty serious if left untreated. Prescription swimming goggles or sunglasses are always an option if you want to go in the water but don’t want your lenses to be exposed to it.

We always recommend bringing eye drops with you whenever you go out. They help give your eyes the moisture they need and keep them fresh all day long, as well as helping to dislodge any particles that may be irritating your lens.

Make sure that your eye drops are contact lens-friendly, though! Generally speaking, drops that are preservative free are best for contact lens wearers. If you aren’t sure which eye drops to use, ask us over the phone or at your next contact lens check-up.

Tip 5: Always Take Your Lenses Out

Sleeping in your contact lenses is a big no-no. You need to always take them out before you go to sleep and clean them properly if they need to be stored. When lenses are left in, your eyes can’t get enough of the oxygen they need to stay healthy. Your eyes will also be very dry and uncomfortable if you leave your lenses in overnight.

We hope our contact lens tips to keep your eyes healthy help remember to also have regular check-ups too so we can keep an eye on any changes or issues you may have with your lenses! We offer free contact lens trials for contact lens newbies and free consultations for existing wearers