The short answer
Cleaning promptly helps prevent tear-film deposits from drying on the lens and becoming more difficult to remove.
Ortho-k and rigid gas permeable (RGP) lenses are medical devices. Lens design, wearing schedules and approved care products differ from person to person. Always give priority to the instructions from the fitting clinic and the labels supplied with the lenses and care products.
What to do
- Wash and dry hands before touching either lens. Make this part of a fixed routine rather than skipping it when time is short.
- Use only a care product approved for the specific rigid lens. Use the current product instructions; do not rely on a routine remembered from a different lens or solution.
- Rub gently with a fingertip, never a fingernail. After the step, check whether the lens, eye or vision feels different from usual.
- Continue with the prescribed rinse, disinfection and storage steps. If safe use cannot be confirmed, leave the lens out and use backup glasses.
Details people often miss
Safe lens wear depends on the whole care chain: clean and dry hands, an intact lens, a compatible care product, a clean case and tool, and a suitable handling area. One extra rinse cannot reliably correct a contaminated, expired or incorrectly used product. Never share personal accessories or transfer solution into an unlabelled container.
When to get help
Remove the lenses and contact the fitting clinic or an eye-care professional promptly if there is significant pain, persistent redness, light sensitivity, unusual tearing or discharge, or reduced vision. Do not repeatedly reinsert a lens to “test” the eye.
Care note: This article provides general lens-care education. It does not replace a diagnosis, individualized instructions from your eye-care professional, or the directions supplied with your lenses and care products.
This article provides general lens-care education. It does not replace a diagnosis, individualized instructions from your eye-care professional, or the directions supplied with your lenses and care products.