When Optical Express contacted me and asked if I wanted to work with them on a post about eye care, I couldn’t say no. About five years ago, I made the switch from glasses to contact lenses and it changed my life. It’s frightening how bad my eyesight had got and I only realised the extent of my blindness when my eyesight improved with the lenses in. However, while it is amazing to see what everyone else with perfect vision sees, there are a few downsides to wearing contact lenses such as having to always make sure you have a spare pair with you and remembering to pack them for trips away (I don’t board a plane without thinking I’ll crash on a dessert island and be blind forever), not to mention touching your eyeball every day and night. *shiver* So I wanted to share with you the tips and tricks that make my life easier and the eye care products that I can’t live without.
My wisest investment as a contact lens wearer is oil free skincare. When I made the jump to contact lenses there were a few products I could no longer use but there are plenty of oil free products out there to choose from. My ultimate eyecare product is the Liz Earle Soothing Eyebright lotion as it doesn’t leave an annoying residue on the lenses. It’s also the perfect thing to perk up your peepers on a morning. I used the Clinique moisture surge before I wore lenses so this was something I continued to use without any problems. The Neutrogena face wipes are a speedy solution for those can’t be bothered nights while the Nars eye makeup remover I couldn’t live without. In terms of makeup, I haven’t changed much since I started wearing lenses as I haven’t experienced any problems but Lush, Clinique and Lancome all offer great oil free choices.
1) Oil Free Skincare
My greatest tip for contact lens wearers is to always put them in before you put on your makeup. Easier said than done if you are a beauty blogger and fancy trying out a new foundation after lunch or spending the afternoon whipping up a quick smokey eye tutorial. Getting makeup in your eye is annoying for anyone but getting makeup on your contact lens is extra annoying as it causes a misty film over the lense and blurs your vision. Many a time have I left the house with perfect vision only to transfer some oil or powder directly on to my eyeball. Not only is this inconvenient not to mention dangerous if you are driving but it is also a waste of lenses. In my first month of wearing contact lenses I wasted so many by not putting them in right and having to change them due to makeup, I had to ask for a new batch a month early which is an expensive mistake. Also make sure your hands are squeaky clean before you put them in.
2) Helpful Extras
Many eyecare specialists will try and sell you little extras to make your life easier. Buy them. As a newbie, I thought it was a bit like when you buy shoes and there’s always someone forcing insoles or even worse suede protector on you. One thing you should invest in is contact lens solution. This not only helps to soothe dry eyes which is essential especially if you wear your lenses for long hours or sit in front of a screen all day but it rinses away any traces of makeup. I made the mistake of saying no to the solution thinking if the worse happened I could rinse away the murky makeup film with water which never works.
3) Regular Check Ups
Don’t forget to book regular check ups as making sure all is well with the health of your eyes is really important. Doing this will help you to make sure you are still wearing the right prescription and the right type of lenses for your eyes.
4) Keep your Glasses
Last but not least, keep your glasses even if like mine they make you look like an extra from Smallville. My glasses are the opposite of sexy and I would rather run around naked than show them to people but if you get an eye infection you will need to wear them for a few days until it clears up as you can’t wear contact lenses with an eye infection.
*I worked with Optical Express on this post but as always the opinions stated in this post are genuinely my own. Do you wear contact lenses? What are you top eye care tips?