When do Contact Lenses Expire?

Contact lenses are very popular today. People do not have to wear glasses all day long, thanks to the power of technology. While the lenses have had a significant impact on people, very few people know about the proper care of them.

For one, most are clueless over whether they expire or not. This shows how little people know about contact lenses.

What are contact lenses?

They are thin ocular prosthetic devices used for eye correction. The lenses are used for different purposes other than eye correction, including, for therapeutic or cosmetic reasons. People who have to wear glasses for better vision can opt for these lenses instead, with directives from an optometrist in Mahogany.

They are usually sterilized and packaged properly in a container. The container is airtight to prevent the entry of any bacteria. Since all lenses come in direct contact with the eyes, special care and hygiene are given in the use of the lenses. When you visit an eye doctor in Mahogany, you should be able to learn all this information.

What does it mean for contact lenses to expire?

It is expected that an optometrist in Calgary will guide you on the care and use of these devices after your treatment. Usually, the lenses are sealed in an air-tight container. This ensures no contamination gets through to the lenses as it could cause an infection to the eye of the user.

However, during usage, a patient has to open the container back and forth. Over time, the seal of the air-tight container can be compromised. If the saline solution that preserves them is contaminated, then the lenses may not be fit for usage. The saline water helps in fighting bacteria. There is also a wetting agent that helps preserve the lenses as fully hydrated.

The expiration date on the packaging container indicates the longevity of the container as free from contamination. After the month and year of the expiration date on the container, the lenses may not be safe to use.

Further, the saline solution more acidic or more alkaline past the expiration date. This makes the liquid unfit to protect the lenses. Wearing them after the expiration date can, therefore, cause discomfort, itchiness and a serious infection over time. Schedule an appointment with an optometrist near you to learn more about the usage of these devices before expiration.

How long do contact lenses last?

It is important to understand the type of contacts you are using. It will help figure out how long you can keep your contacts. Usually, the expiration date marked in mm/yy should guide you on when to get rid of the contacts. However, vision therapy in Mahogany will give you better insight into the different types of lenses.

There are either soft or hard contacts.

Soft contact lenses – they are disposable lenses that are made to serve their purpose short-term. Some are for daily wear, while others can be worn for an extended period. The extended-wear disposables can be worn at all times, even when sleeping. However, the user has to replace them after their lifespan elapses. Daily-wear disposables are different from the extended-wear disposables because they need to be removed at night and cleaned. They last as far as a week or a month.

Hard contact lenses – they are made of Rigid Gas Permeable plastic (RGP), and sometimes polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). Today, these lenses are not as common as disposable soft lenses. The contacts require high care for them to last the intended durations. Users have to remove them when they sleep and preserve them in their containers. The RGP hard lenses allow oxygen to get to your eye, while the PMMA does not.

The hard lenses last longer than short lenses. All contacts are eventually trashed out or replaced. Some of the types of soft lenses last for a day, while others can go for weeks or months. The longevity of your contacts depends mostly on the type of lenses you get. However, it also makes a difference in the brand of lenses you have. Take a keen interest in your contact lenses exam to understand properly which ones are most suitable for you.

Do not compromise the health of your eyes by extending the use of already expired contact lenses.