Difficulty holding the contact lens in hand, fear that the lens will even end up behind the eyeball: these are some of the most common fears in those who have not yet tried this means of visual correction, which can guarantee great freedom and a precision and quality of sight. The contactologist plays a fundamental role in accompanying the wearer in his first application, but once at home handling this small device can lead to some anxiety, deciding to abandon the experience. A recent survey finds that 42% of new wearers who drop contact lenses do so after just 3 months. Hence the idea of Alconan eye care company based in Fort Worth, Texas, to help newcomers to daily contact lenses break down barriers to use.
Precision1 *, Alcon’s new daily contact lens, offers wearers the ‘Contact lenses routine‘, 7 simple rules for those with a very active lifestyle, between work, sport and socializing, and wants to take care of their eyes. The goal – reads a note – is to help them consider the application of contact lenses as a routine gesture exactly as we are used to, for example, to take actions for the well-being of our skin. A change of mental setting that helps to live with serenity the moments of manipulation of the contact lens both when wearing it and when removing it at the end of the day.
“Sometimes using metaphors, or changing the way contact lenses are presented to people who have never tried them, can actually make a difference. – explains Vittorio Giacovelli, head of Optics Barello – During the test in the presence of the contactologist you are guided step by step and in case of need there is a professional ready to solve any difficulties. But it is precisely at home that the new wearer must learn to respect the simple but fundamental rules to obtain the maximum benefit in the use of contact lenses, removing the risk of abandonment “.
The Contact lenses routine – continues the note – consists of a few steps that, together with the rules of application and removal of contact lenses, helps to remove the barriers that are at the basis of abandonment. Seven rules:
1) Enough mani. Before applying and removing contact lenses, it is essential to wash your hands with soap, rinse them well and dry them with a lint-free towel. This simple gesture is the first step to the health of your eyes;
2) Change your mindset. You are not putting a contact lens inside the eye, but placing it on the surface of the eye. If you are aware that the lens, for example, cannot end up behind the eye, confidence will increase, reducing anxiety at the moment of fitting;
3) Create a routine. How many things do we do automatically, without realizing how many steps this automatism requires? The same rule applies to contact lenses as well. Where we keep contact lenses, the order in which we apply them first on the right eye and then on the left, or vice versa, etc.: if we learn to perform the same actions every day, even wearing contact lenses will become a natural gesture that we will accomplish without realizing it.
4) Order makes the difference. As for facial cleansing, different products are applied in sequence, even for contact lenses it is necessary to perform some steps in a precise order. Insert the lenses before putting on make-up and remove them before removing the make-up, avoid letting the eyes come into contact with substances that could irritate them (deodorants, soap, lotions, etc);
5) Master the direction of application. Place the lens on your index finger, if you notice that the edges curl, it means that it must be turned upside down to take the rounded shape, ready to be placed on the eye;
6) Close and open your eyes 3 times. This movement will help the contact lens find its natural position;
7) Stay relaxed. For any small difficulty, the contactologist is available. Contact lenses are designed to give freedom, maximum comfort throughout the day, allowing you to fully enjoy your busy day.
These few steps proposed by Precision1, sometimes already applied in other contexts – concludes the note – are at the service of those who want to try contact lenses for the first time and who, together with the guidelines on how to apply them and the advice of the optical, accompany the potential new bearer in this experience.