In amidst the current panic and uncertainty right now there’s a lot of advice floating around such as stock up on food, social distance yourself from others and start to work from home. Although all correct, sometimes it’s the simplest advice that is the best.
“Sanitise, wash your hands and don’t touch your face.”
A mantra which is now performed more vigorously than ever in all aspects of our lives. But we can implement this cleaning regime to other parts which may be overlooked such as keeping your glasses and eye hygiene in form.
Glasses and eye care/hygiene have always been important but frequently overlooked as it wasn’t immediately threatening to our health and well-being. Now when something as simple as touching your face could cause life-threatening viruses to ourselves and our loved ones, now is as good a time as any to start practising those good hygiene practices. There are only some small steps for glasses and contact lens wearers to exercise better hygiene practices and easily incorporated into your daily routine.
GLASSES HYGIENE
Cleaning your glasses often goes overlooked until we can’t see through them anymore but now is the time to make them look brand new again! Use the below suggestions to keep those glasses clean and free of germs/bad bacteria.
- Clean your lenses at least 1-2 times per day and your lenses once a week. Depending on your job/personal circumstances, you may want to consider doing these more often.
- When cleaning your lenses, use a cleaning solution to kill the bad bacteria and remove any grease on the surface.
- Ensure that surfaces you are places your glasses on are clean/sanitised.
- Only touch your glasses with freshly cleaned or sanitised hands.
- Wash your glasses cleaning cloth at least once per week.
- Use a moist towelette with rubbing alcohol to clean nose pads and ear pierces of your frames.
CONTACT LENS/EYE HYGIENE
Although having less contact with your face, contact lenses can also hold a lot of risks when it comes to eye hygiene and health. Those who wear contact lenses often do not practice standard hygiene around their eyes can this can often lead to an eye infection or dry eyes. The below suggestions will keep your eyes and contact lenses clean whilst also preventing eye disease and vision loss.
- Only touch your eyes and contact lenses with freshly washed or sanitised hands.
- Remove all makeup nightly and wash your face twice daily for the best eyelid hygiene.
- When applying makeup, use clean brushes and in-date products.
- Store your contacts in a clean, contact lens case.
- Ensure you have fresh solution for your contacts every day. Always throw away your old solution and ever add new solution to old.
- Remove your contact lenses at night.
- Never repeat wear your disposable lenses.
- Only lubricate your contacts with an approved contact lens solution.
- Never use saliva to clean your lens but a disinfecting solution to be used outside of your eye.
Glasses and contact lens hygiene can be easily maintained and implemented with the use of small steps such as above. If at any point during this pandemic you feel like your eye health is not up to scratch, please make an appointment to see your local eye doctor.
Here at Adelaide City Optometrist we are still performing regular eye tests and frame fitting services. We are also taking extra precautions to ensure our showroom is clean and hygienic as per the Department of Health recommendations. If facing some problems but are nervous to leave your house, remember that we;
- Are not located inside a busy mall or shopping area,
- Have access to medical devices sanitised between every patient,
- Easy access parking directly in front of our store,
- Are only allowing one customer into our showroom on top of staff at one time,
- And are using heightened cleaning practices to ensure our practice is safe for all.
Call us on 08 8224 0819 or book an appointment for any of your optical needs prior to visiting us in person.