Anything that comes into contact with your eye can potentially introduce micro-organisms (bacteria, virus, fungus) that can cause eye infections. Here's how to prevent that:

1. WASH YOUR HANDS
Always wash your hands before handling contacts. Use a soap that contains an antibiotic, but avoid brands with scents or moisturizers, which reduce contacts' ability to absorb tears and stay wet.

2.RUB THOSE LENS
Many cleaning solutions boast "No Rub" on the label. Ignore that. After hours of wear, lenses attract proteins, oils, mucous and external debris. Rubbing the surface does a much better job of cleaning than rinsing alone.

3. ALWAYS USE FRESH SOLUTION
Some patients leave old disinfecting solution in the case, and "top it off" with fresh solution. Bad idea. Older solution loses effectiveness and accumulates debris. A better tactic: throw out used solution each morning. Wipe cases with a clean tissue, and and let them air dry.

4. REPLACE YOUR CASE OFTEN -- as least every 2-3 months.
Think of your case as disposable. Yes, you should air dry and wipe them clean, but cases still get contaminated with coatings that harbor micro-organisms. (Ask us for a complimentary case).

5. DISINFECT YOUR CONTACT LENSES
I find many patients store their lenses overnight in saline, which has no disinfecting properties. Disinfecting only occurs in a Multi-Purpose solution -- basically a saline with a disinfecting and cleaning agent added -- or by soaking in a hydrogen peroxide-based system like Clear Care.