Have a question? Click on a category for a list of FAQs. If you don’t find your answer here, please contact us.
• FAQs about wearing contact lenses
• FAQs about buying contact lenses
FAQs about wearing contact lenses
Q: If I've had LASIK or another form of refractive surgery, can I still wear contact lenses?
A: Maybe. Check with your optician at your next appointment. LASIK is not a permanent solution, so you may still need vision correction with the onset of presbyopia. If your optician feels that contacts are still an option, we believe that ACUVUE® Brand Contact Lenses are an excellent choice for people who've undergone refractive surgery.
Q: I don’t need glasses all the time. Why should I wear contact lenses?
A: You can wear contact lenses as your everyday vision correction, or in combination with glasses. If your need for vision correction isn’t that strong, you’ll find lenses a convenient, always-there alternative to putting on and taking off your glasses all day. Plus, unlike glasses, contacts won’t smudge, steam up, fall off or break, and you won't lose any peripheral vision.
Q: How old do I have to be to wear contact lenses?
A: There’s no minimum age for contact lenses. Lots of teens, and even some pre-teens, wear them. A typical age to start wearing lenses is 16. But children as young as eight can be mature enough to wear and care for them – successful lens wear depends more on responsibility and attitude than age. Your optician will help you decide if lenses are right for you and help you choose the right ACUVUE® lenses for your vision correction needs.
Q: Can I wear my contact lenses overnight?
A: Some ACUVUE® contact lenses can be worn while you sleep. ACUVUE® OASYS® Brand Contact Lenses with HYDRACLEAR® PLUS have been approved for extended wear, which means you can wear them for six nights/seven days consecutively before removal and disposal. However, the risk of certain eye problems is higher with overnight wear. Your optician will be able to tell you if sleeping in your lenses is right for you.
Q: Why should I change my lenses on time? They still feel fine.
A: They may feel fine, but changing your contacts as directed by your optician is essential to keeping your eyes comfortable and healthy. As your lenses reach the end of their specified life, they attract deposits from your eyes, hands and environment. This may affect the lens surface, causing irritation and disrupting your vision or affecting your eye health.
Q: According to the expiry date on my lens package, they’ve expired. Can I still wear them?
A: No. Once your lenses are past their expiry date we cannot ensure the lenses and solution is sterile. You should never use a lens past its expiry date.
Q: Do I need to give my eyes a rest from contacts? Do they need time to ‘breathe’?
A: Your eyes don’t usually need a rest from lenses. Unless your optician recommends otherwise, you can safely wear them every day. Today, ACUVUE® contact lenses such as 1•DAY ACUVUE® TruEye® and ACUVUE® OASYS® with HYDRACLEAR® PLUS, are made with the latest silicone hydrogel materials, which provide much more oxygen to the eye than traditional soft lenses. The more oxygen your eyes get, the healthier and clearer they’ll be.
Q: Can I swim or shower while wearing my ACUVUE® Brand Contact Lenses?
A: When you swim or shower in lenses you expose them to the risk of serious infection from microorganisms in the water. Ask your optician about wearing contact lenses during activities involving exposure to water, especially swimming and other water sports.
Q: What can I do if my contact lenses aren’t comfortable?
A: There can be many reasons for contact lens discomfort. If you’re finding yours uncomfortable, it is important you speak to your optician. For longer-term comfort, consider upgrading to one of our newer ACUVUE® lenses such as ACUVUE® OASYS® and 1•DAY ACUVUE® TruEye® featuring our latest technologies and designs.
Q: What can I do if my vision isn’t that good, even with contact lenses?
A: There can be many reasons your vision is not good, even with lenses. It could be as simple as dry eyes, poor fitting lenses, or an out-of-date prescription. Or it could also be a sign of a more serious problem, unrelated to your contacts. If you have any problems with your vision or lenses, speak to your optician.
Q: Can I use eye drops with my ACUVUE® lenses?
A: Yes, but you should use eye drops specifically recommended for use with soft hydrophilic (water-loving) contact lenses. Check with your optician before you use any eye drops.
Q: I left my contact lenses in the car – and I think they may have got very hot. Is it safe to still wear them?
A: If the lenses are still snugly sealed in their original foil packages, they’re safe to use. If, however, your lenses are out of their original foil package and in your own lens case, we recommend you throw them away and use new ones.
Q: It feels like my lens is ‘lost’ in my eye. What should I do?
A: First, remember that the lens cannot get lost behind your eye. Roll your eye around until the lens works itself around to where you can see it. Then, after washing your hands with soap and water, remove the lens. If the lens doesn’t work itself around, put some rewetting drops or a few drops of saline solution into your eye and look way up, down and side to side to attempt to move it. You can also close your eyes and gently move your finger over your lids around the socket of the eye to reposition the lens where you can see it. If the lens does not work itself around or you are experiencing extreme discomfort, call your optician.
Q: A friend of mine puts her contact lens in her mouth to rewet it. Is this a good idea?
A: Never. Your mouth is not a sterile environment. If you need to rewet your lenses, use contact lens rewetting drops or sterile saline solution. Your optician will be able to recommend the best product for you and your lenses.
Q: A friend of mine has never worn contact lenses and wants to try mine on. Is this okay? What if I disinfect the lens before and after she tries it?
A: You should never share your lenses with anyone. Your contact lenses are medical devices that have been specially recommended by your optician for your unique vision needs and the unique shape of your eye. Suggest to your friend that she asks her optician about a free trial of ACUVUE® contact lenses.
FAQs about buying contact lenses
Q: Can I buy ACUVUE® Brand Contact Lenses at www.acuvue.ie?
A: No. You can only buy ACUVUE® lenses through your optician, retail stores, and online retailers. Find your nearest optician to make an appointment to be fitted for ACUVUE® Contact Lenses.
Q: Why do I need a specification for contact lenses? Why can't I just buy them over the counter?
A: Contact lenses are medical devices that require a specification. Everyone’s eyes are unique and only an optician can properly measure your need for correction as well as determining which size and type of contact lens is best for you. Also, many of the changes that can occur to your vision and eye health over time can only be detected using highly specialised equipment and procedures. To keep your vision sharp and your eyes and body healthy, we recommend seeing your optician annually or as directed.
Q: I was fitted for monovision (one eye has a lens for distance, the other eye a lens for close-up) for presbyopia. Should I switch to ACUVUE® BIFOCAL?
A: It depends, ask your optician. If you’re comfortable with monovision and are using lenses with our latest technologies such as ACUVUE® OASYS® with HYDRACLEAR® PLUS, that still may be the best option for you. However, many people who have successfully adapted to monovision are even happier with their vision when re-fitted with ACUVUE® BIFOCAL contact lenses. Ask your optician for a free trial of ACUVUE® BIFOCAL Contact Lenses.
Q: What is the solution that ACUVUE® lenses are packaged in?
A: ACUVUE® lenses are packaged in a buffered, non-preserved, sterile saline solution (a sterile solution of salt water very similar to the tears in your eyes).
If you are experiencing any sort of unusual eye discomfort or changes in your vision, please call your optician immediately.