Can I Clean Scleral Contacts and Wear Them Again if I Have an Eye Infection

Scleral lenses are a type of RGP (Rigid Gas Permeable) lens used for atmospheric condition such as keratoconus and pellucid marginal cornea degeneration. All the same, wrong care of scleral contact lenses and solutions tin can increase the gamble of eye infections and corneal ulcers. Risk factors for acquiring an middle infection include improper lens cleaning and disinfection, poor hygiene practices and smoking. Following your practitioner's hygiene regime, along with regular reviews, will minimise this risk.

Ever thoroughly launder your hands with an antibacterial-based hand launder and dry them with a clean lint-free towel before treatment, removing or inserting your lenses. Brand sure to clean all parts of your hands, including between the fingers and dry thoroughly.

Safety & hygiene

Orthokeratology is a safe, reversible and effective vision correction solution. However, incorrect care of contact lenses and solutions can increase the gamble for eye infections and corneal ulcers. Risk factors for acquiring an center infection include improper lens cleaning and disinfection, poor hygiene practices and smoking. Post-obit your practitioner's hygiene regime, along with regular reviews, will minimise this risk.

• Thoroughly wash hands and fingers with an antibacterial based mitt wash
• Dry hands with a lint complimentary towel
• Remove lenses while sitting at a tabular array with a lint free cloth
• Avert bathrooms as they contain more germs than any other room in the house
• Inspect lenses for scratches, fries or cracks every bit these can provide surfaces for leaner to grow

Always wash and rinse your easily thoroughly and dry out them with a lint-costless towel/tissue before treatment contact lenses. All traces of soap, perfumes, hair-spray, creams and lotions should be removed from your hands and around your eyes.

Insertion

Step 1 Remove lenses from the cleaning solution case and rinse with saline. If using hydrogen peroxide solution a minimum soaking fourth dimension of 6 hours is required for the acid to neutralise to saline.

Footstep 2 Fill the bowl of the lens with a lubricating eye drib or saline solution. If using the tripod method, place the lens on the middle finger, index finger and pollex. If using a suction tool, place the lens on the tip of the scleral suction tool. Ensure y'all are facing down horizontally, looking into a flat mirror. Reach around with your dominant hand to elevator up the height lid, and use your non-dominant middle finger to agree the lower hat open. Using the mirror, place the lens on the eye. The suction tool must exist squeezed to release the lens. To save confusion, it's a good idea to ever insert the right lens first.

Step 3 If you happen to drop your lens, utilise saline solution to rinse. Place the lens in the palm of your hand and rinse thoroughly for 5 seconds.

Step 4 Dry and wipe out your lens case with a tissue. Leave the example lid off to air dry while wearing your lenses.

You may experience some discomfort if the lens is not in place correctly on the eye or if a strange trunk, such as an eyelash or make-upward pigment, is trapped underneath the lens. If this is the case, remove the lens and reinsert.

Tripod method. A safety inserter can too be used to hold the lens if dexterity is a problem – ask your optometrist virtually this.

Removal

Method one – Transmission Removal

• Using your middle fingers, open the lids wider than the lens diameter
• Utilize pressure to the hat margins, pushing in together to move your lids under the lens and lever it out of the eye

Method 2 – Suction Removal

• Using your middle fingers, open up the eyelids wider than the lens diameter
• With the suction tool between your index finger and thumb, align the suction cup so it is positioned in front of and parallel to the lens
• When the suction loving cup touches the lens, clasp the tool and gently push inward to attach the lens to the cup
• Pull the lens from the eye to remove
• Later on removal from the eye, carefully slide the lens sideways off the suction tool and it will come off easily

Different suction tools available for scleral lenses.

Cleaning

An constructive cleaning procedure is vital to ensure comfortable, hygienic and infection-free contact lens wear. With correct cleaning, contact lenses will feel better on your eyes, allow ameliorate eye health and vision, and dramatically reduce the risk of infection. Always make clean your lenses after wear, and NEVER RINSE OR Store YOUR LENSES IN TAP H2o.ⁱⁱⁱ The acanthamoeba microorganism is plentiful in tap h2o and can cause a severe, painful and sight-threatening infection.

Peroxide cleaner (AO Sept with Hydraglyde)

These solutions work past having your contact lenses immersed and sterilised in 3% hydrogen peroxide. Over the course of a six hour period the goad in the instance converts the hydrogen peroxide into h2o and oxygen gas. This cleaning solution has the advantage that when your lenses are removed from the case they require no rinsing as they are covered only in sterile, not-preserved h2o. They also generally require no rubbing footstep, which decreases the risk of accidental breakage. The example can exist left to air dry when non in utilise, and should be replaced with each new bottle of solution. AO Sept now had the addition of Hydraglyde, an ingredient which improves the wettability of your contact lenses, making them more useful for scleral patients with long day-wear times.

To clean your lenses fill the case up to the line, place your lenses in the correct cage-holder. Then submerge the case and screw closed. Accept intendance when transporting the example as sometimes the small gas-release pigsty can leak solution.

Care should be taken not to get the un-neutralised peroxide in your optics every bit this will sting painfully. If this occurs rinse thoroughly with water and contact your optometrist if the pain persists or your vision is affected. Find AOSept at our shop here.

Multipurpose solutions (Menicare and Boston Simplus)

1. To clean: Identify a few drops of multipurpose contact lens solution on the palm and the lens, and so rub with your finger-pad for at least 10 seconds on each side. The back surface (concave) is best cleaned by moving your pollex beyond the surface. This step removes material that deposits on the lens during clothing. Whilst Ortho-K lenses are potent, with incorrect technique or as well much force they can break.
2. To disinfect and condition: Place the lens in fresh solution in your lens instance, ensuring the lens is completely submerged. This stride kills microbes on your lenses and prepares the surface of your lens to stay wet throughout wear, increasing comfort. Store your lenses in this solution for at least 4 hours for the cleaning process to exist complete. NEVER rinse or store your lenses in tap h2o, as micro-organisms are plentiful and can cause infections in your eyes.

Regular protein removal (Progent)

To make clean and maintain the wettability of your lenses use intensive cleaner, such as Menicon Progent. Place the lenses into the contact lens case holders. Open up vial A and B by twisting the cap and cascade the contents into the contact lens case. Supersede the lid and tighten. Get out the lenses in the solution for 30 minutes, then remove and rinse thoroughly with saline. Lenses can now be worn or soaked in your daily cleaner. (please note that this product may not be available in all countries, ask your practitioner).

Take a chance of breakage

Scleral lenses are made of a stiff polymer which resists damage in normal wearing circumstances. It is very rare for a lens to intermission in your eye unless something hits your eye or your removal technique is incorrect/very forceful. The solutions you use to make clean your lenses will not weaken or degrade them ‒ not fifty-fifty the powerful Progent fortnightly deep cleaner. However, they can withal break if mishandled. There are some tricks y'all can learn to minimise this take a chance.

Habits that may cause a lens to break include:

• Pressure on the lens. If the lens lands on a mirror or flat surface. Gently slide information technology off to the edge of the surface or use a suction tool to remove it from the surface.
• Pulling the lens too firmly from the suction tool. Slide the lens off the suction point instead.
• Forcing the lens to bend excessively while cleaning. Some friction force is required to make clean a scleral lens using your cleaning solution, but not likewise much. The resistance from your pare surface will exist sufficient to clean the lens. If too much force is applied on both sides of a scleral lens, the lens will flex and eventually snap.

It is very rare for a lens to intermission in your heart unless something hits your eye or your removal technique is incorrect/very forceful. The solutions you use to clean your lenses will non weaken or dethrone them ‒ not even the powerful Progent fortnightly deep cleaner.

In case of breakage

We understand that when you lot are learning how to use your lenses you may exist inadvertently forceful during insertion, removal or cleaning. Because of this we offer a 1 month manufacturer'due south replacement warranty on accidental breakages. Outside of this menstruum, your lens is not covered by a warranty and the lens volition demand to be replaced at your cost if damaged or lost.

Normally a lens will take less than one calendar week to arrive from the lab when ordered. If you are very dependent on the lens, nosotros will of course ask our lens visitor to industry it as before long as possible. Because of the inevitable waiting time, we encourage all scleral lens wearers to take a spare fix of lenses available for a state of affairs where a lens is lost or broken.

If y'all do lose or harm a lens, delight don't fret, just give our friendly team a phone call and we will arrange a replacement as speedily as we can.

Things to remember!

• Do not modify the recommended cleaning routine or solutions without consulting your optometrist. Other solutions may non be uniform with your eyes and lenses, and may crusade discomfort or allergic reactions.
• Do non oestrus solutions.
• Shortcuts with cleaning solutions may appear to relieve money but can result in ineffective lens cleaning and disinfection. Wrong cleaning solutions may impairment your lenses or lead to an eye infection which tin can result in vision loss.
• Never make clean or shop your scleral lens with soft contact lens solutions. These products work in a dissimilar style to the scleral lens solutions and will not clean and condition your scleral lenses.
• Replace the contact lens instance every time you start a new bottle of lens cleaner to avert microbial contamination.
• To avoid contamination do not touch the tips of solution bottles. Replace caps afterwards use.
• If your eyes are very painful after hours, consult your local hospital or emergency middle dispensary.
• If you notice scratches and chips or misplace a lens, contact your optometrist for a replacement.

Exercise non employ your scleral gas permeable lenses in the post-obit cases:

• Acute inflammation or infection of the anterior chamber of the eye
• Any center disease, injury, or abnormality that affects the cornea, conjunctiva or eyelids
• Severe insufficiency of tears or inflammatory dry eye
• Corneal hypoesthesia (reduced corneal sensitivity)
• Any systemic disease which may affect the eye or be exacerbated by wearing contact lenses
• Allergic reactions to ocular surfaces or adnexa which may be induced or exaggerated by wearing contact lenses or use of contact lens solutions
• Allergy to any ingredient, such as peroxide and hydraglyde in a recommended cleaning solution
• Any agile corneal infection (bacterial, fungal or viral)
• Crimson or irritated eyes
• Remember, your center must: look good, experience good, see good - if in doubt, take them out

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Source: https://www.innovativeeyecare.com.au/patient-resources/care-of-scleral-lenses/