Many people choose contact lenses over other eye wear because it gives them more confidence in their appearance. Hard contact lenses are commonly chosen for their durability. They are made from a material called PMMA, polymethylmethacrylate, which is very rigid. PMMA does not contain a high amount of water like soft contact lenses and they require special cleaning. These tips will help you clean your hard contacts.

Wash Your Hands

Scrub your hands with an anti-bacterial soap before you handle contact lenses This helps avoid the risk of germs and infection getting into the eyes. Anti-bacterial soap is best since it does not contain perfumes. Use a lint-free towel to dry them.

Remove and Clean the Lenses

Remove the lenses one at a time from your eyes and set them in the center of your hand. Your cleaner should already be out and ready to use. Take the contacts out in the same order each time you clean to avoid confusion when you store and clean.

Avoid using homemade solutions. The two usual solutions for cleaning contact lenses are multi-purpose solution and hydrogen peroxide. A multi-purpose cleaner allows you to clean and disinfect at the same time. Hydrogen peroxide cleans and disinfects. Many contact wearers think hydrogen peroxide works best.

Make certain your finger nails are trimmed before you clean the lenses. Place the stopper in the sink to keep from loosing the lenses in the drain. Squirt several drops of the cleaner into the middle of the lens. Rub the cleaner on the lens with a circular movement for about twenty seconds. Do not be afraid to apply slight pressure since hard contact lenses are strong.

Rinse and Soak

Rinse the lenses with a saline solution. Saline solutions are commonly used to rinse and store contacts, but not for cleaning. Never rinse contacts with tap water. Since hard lenses are durable, they do not require a special solution or rinsing formula. Fill the case with the rinsing solution and store them.

Follow Additional Care Tips

When you wear contacts there are safety precautions you want to follow. Never sleep in contact sunless your doctor advised it. Try not to rub your eyes and make sure you wear sunglasses to decrease the chance of sensitivity. To avoid contamination, do not wear another person's contacts. Keep the case clean and use fresh rinsing solution daily.

Unlike soft contacts, hard contact lenses do not need replacing as often. They should last longer than soft contact lenses provided you care for them properly and follow your doctor's advice, like those at A New Vision.