Wearing coloured contact lenses should be a fun and creative experience, but eye health and safety should always be of paramount importance! Ocular health should always be taken seriously, as mishaps can happen when lenses are cleaned and maintained properly.

Before you even consider purchasing coloured contact lenses, you should consult an optician or eye health specialist to make sure your eyes are suitable for wearing contacts. Not all eyes are the same, as eye shape and possible conditions can affect your ability to wear lenses. It is especially important to consult medical advice if you are intending to wear cosmetic lenses for a prolonged amount of time.
People suffering with the following should not wear our coloured contact lenses, as these eye conditions may be further irritated by inserting lenses:

• Any eye infections (Such as Conjunctivitis)

• Any corneal conditions (Such as Keratitis)

• Any allergic eye conditions (Such as Hayfever)

• Any chronic disease of the eye (Such as Glaucoma)

Once you have the lenses, you should make sure you understand all the ins and outs of cleaning and maintenance. Make sure you have all the know-how on inserting and removing lenses before you wear! Here are a few dos and don’ts when it comes to coloured contact lens safety.

• DO consult your optician or eye doctor before wearing/purchasing a pair of our lenses

• DO wash and dry your hands whenever you handle your lenses or attempt insertion/removal

• DO soak your lenses for two hours in solution prior to inserting them into your eye

• DO wash your lenses in solution if they touch anything besides your eyes

• DO keep your lenses case clean and regularly change the eye care solution

• DO remove the contacts before you go to sleep, bathe, shower or partake in water sports

• DO remove the lenses if you feel any unexpected irritation, soreness or notice redness or excessive eye watering.

• DO seek medical advice if you notice any of the conditions mentioned above.

• DO NOT use lenses after the recommended duration (E.g. 1 day, 90 day, 1 year)

• DO NOT use tap water, saliva or household product to clean the lenses, only the eye care solution

• DO NOT let the contacts come into contact with any cosmetic products i.e. makeup, deodorants, hair sprays

• DO NOT attempt to insert lenses that seem damaged, broken or torn or in any way compromised

• DO NOT insert more than one pair of lenses into your eye at one time

• DO NOT share lenses with another person

Any uncertainties or concerns when using contact lenses should be discussed with an eye care specialist or optician. Ensure you know all the tips and tricks before you get started with a pair of coloured contact lenses. Above all make sure you DO have fun wearing our coloured contact lenses.

Putting in your contact lenses for the first time may seem like a scary process, but trust us when we say it couldn’t be simpler. Though you may have a slight amount of difficulty putting in your coloured contacts the first few times, you’ll soon get into the habit. It just takes a little bit of patience the first few times!

Before you get started popping in your contact lenses, make sure you have the follow:

• A contact lens case.

• A bottle of contact lens solution.

We strongly recommend that you soak your contact lenses in solution for at least two hours before putting them into your eyes for the first time. This will both help protect your eyes and allow the contact lenses to slip into place much more easily. Once you’ve done this, you’re ready to get started!

1. Take Out Your Lens – After thoroughly washing and drying your hands, lift the contact lens out of its case. It is recommended that you pick up the lens with the index finger of your dominant hand. Ensure that the lens sits on your fingertip the right way round – with it curving outwards. (It can sometimes be difficult to tell if a lens is inside out or not, so be sure to inspect it before placing it in your eye.)

2. Lower Your Eyelid – With your other hand, hold your eye open. The best way to do this is to the pull down your eyelid with you index finger, being sure to hold your lashes down as well. If not, your lens is very likely to get caught up in your lashes – which isn’t ideal!

3. Place The Contact In Your Eye – Look upwards with your eye, exposing the white, and gently insert the contact lens. You are likely to feel a strong urge to blink when doing this the first few times – which is completely natural – but try to avoid doing so. If the contact lens isn’t in properly, you should know immediately, with it mostly likely coming out when you blink.

4. Allow The Lens To Settle – Finally, hold your eye closed for a few seconds to allow the lens to settle in. After this, check in the mirror to see if it’s gone in properly. If it has, then congrats! You’ve done it!

5. Repeat With The Other Eye – After this, repeat the process in your other eye. Once that’s done, you’re finished! Go out there and rock your new look!

If the process doesn’t go well, or you find yourself struggling to put the contacts in, be willing to take a break in order to avoid irritating your eyes too much. Also remember to reapply some contact solution to them if you feel like they’ve dried out while you’ve tried to put them in!

Try not to get frustrated if you can’t get the hang of the process straight away. It’s always worth paying a visit to an optician if you’re having too much trouble – as we’re sure they’d be happy to help you out. An optician should also be visited if you notice anything unusual when putting your lenses in. The health of your eyes is the most important thing!

Removing contact lenses can often be thought of as an arduous task, but here at Coloured Contact’s we’ve pieced together a helpful run-down of how to correctly remove your coloured contact lenses. Regardless of whether you’re or not you’re new to using coloured contact lenses, this helpful, step-by-step guide is here to help shed some light on the do’s and don’ts.

1. Make Sure You Thoroughly Wash and Dry Your Hands! - It’s paramount that you wash and cleanse your hands properly before coming into contact with your eyes or coloured contact lenses. In doing so, you will greatly reduce the risk of infection and bacteria spreading unnecessarily. For contacts that have a greater duration, such as those of monthly or yearly durations, we highly recommend you store your lenses in a disinfected lens case, filled with approved multipurpose solution.

2. Gently Separate Your Eyelids (Pull Down Your Lower Eyelid and Pull Up Your Upper) - It is of great importance, more so for prescribed lenses, that you start with the same eye every time you come to remove your lenses. The process is simple, all you need to do is gently pull down on your lower eyelid then pull up your upper eyelid so that your eyelashes are as close to your eyebrow as possible.

3. Carefully Pinch The Contact Lens Using Both Your First Finger and Your Thumb - This step can be daunting, but as with anything, it comes with practise. All you need to do,is place your fore finger and thumb at either sides of your coloured contact lens and gently pinch. You should feel the lens move between your fingers, this is completely normal and shows that you’ve successfully managed to acquire the lens.

4. Avert Your Gaze Upwards and Slide The Contact Lens Down and Off Onto Your First Finger - Once you feel the lens between your thumb and fore finger, then next step is to look up. In doing so, you’ll be able to smoothly slide the lens down onto the white of your eye and then off onto your finger. If it didn’t work the first time, don’t panic! Gently repeat the process or seek help from someone close to you.

5. Repeat on The Other Eye - As simple as it sounds, the next step is to repeat the process on your remaining eye!

Regardless of which duration you opt for, it’s highly important that you adhere to the correct and most suitable care instructions to help you achieve the most out of new style! Always make sure you dispose of your daily coloured contact lenses suitably and that you store your longer duration lenses in approved solution and disinfected casing.

If at any stage you have an concerns, here at Coloured Contacts we highly recommend you seek immediate advice from a health care professional.