Contact lenses: proper hygiene and care | Swiss Medical Network

23.06.2025

Contact lenses: the right precautions for safe and problem-free use

Between appointments, gym sessions and evenings out with friends, contact lenses offer discreet vision correction. However, improper use can lead to serious complications, including dreaded eye infections. To enjoy all the benefits of contact lenses safely, it is essential to follow good hygiene and care practices.

(by MD Victoire Hurand)

Why is hygiene so important?

The eyes are fragile organs that are particularly susceptible to infection. Poor lens hygiene can promote the proliferation of bacteria, fungi or parasites, putting your eyesight at risk.

The 7 golden rules for optimal maintenance:

1. Wash hands thoroughly before any contact

Before touching your eyes or contact lenses, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and dry them with a clean, lint-free towel.

2. Lenses and water: a combination to avoid

L’eau de la piscine, du lac, du robinet ou de la douche… sous son apparence claire et propre, peut contenir des micro-organismes dangereux comme Acanthamoeba. Ce parasite est responsable d’infections sévères de la cornée. Évitez donc tout contact des lentilles avec l’eau et retirez vos lentilles avant de prendre une douche. Ne rincez jamais vos lentilles autrement qu’avec une solution dédiée fournie par votre opticien.

3. Clean and disinfect your lenses properly

Always use a suitable maintenance solution (multifunctional, oxidising, etc.) to clean your lenses every day. Gently massage the lenses with the cleaning solution before rinsing them and placing them in the appropriate container.

Never use saline solution or water to clean your lenses. Always change the solution in the container after each use: never reuse stagnant liquid.

4. Replace the container regularly

The lens case is not eternal and can become a real breeding ground for germs. Clean it after each use with a specific lens cleaning product and remember to replace it every 3 months.

5. Follow the recommended wearing time and replacement schedule for your lenses.

Do you keep yoghurt in the fridge for six months? Do you use the same coffee pod several times? Probably not, and the same applies to contact lenses. Whether you wear daily, bi-weekly or monthly lenses, your contact lenses have a specific shelf life. Wearing contact lenses beyond the specified time promotes the accumulation of deposits and increases the risk of eye irritation and infection.

6. Remove your contact lenses before going to sleep

Although it is tempting to go to bed without removing your contact lenses after a long day or when you come home late at night, your eyes need to «breathe» during the night. Prolonged use of contact lenses limits oxygenation of the cornea. Remove your contact lenses before going to sleep, unless you use orthokeratology lenses specifically designed to be worn overnight.

7. «Listen» to your eyes

Red, painful, light-sensitive eyes? Don't ignore these signs! Remove your contact lenses immediately and consult an ophthalmologist as soon as possible. Keep your contact lenses in their case so that they can be tested for bacteria if necessary.

Conclusion

Wearing contact lenses is a discreet, practical and comfortable solution, but proper care is essential to avoid complications. By adopting simple habits and avoiding risky behaviour, you will protect your comfort and vision in the long term.

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Our ophthalmology specialist

Med. pract. Victoire Hurand

Victoire Hurand, MD is a specialist in ophthalmology and works as a head of clinic at Swiss Visio. She completed a successful career in ophthalmology and ophthalmic surgery at the University Hospitals of Dijon and Beaune (France) before deciding to specialise more deeply within the Swiss Visio network. Always striving to perfect her skills, she specialised in refractive surgery at the Fondation Rothschild, obtained several inter-university diplomas (cornea, contactology, medical retina, refractive surgery and ocular inflammation) as well as a research master's degree and is part of the European Board of Ophthalmology (EBOD).

Victoire Hurand welcomes her patients, including emergencies, in the ophthalmological consultation at Montchoisi, Chavannes, and Palézieux village.

At Swiss Visio, we offer consultations and surgeries in an excellent environment for all ocular pathologies except oncology. Our 22 centres provide fast and personalised care in a trustworthy environment and we do our utmost to offer appropriate medical care.

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