Wear & Care

Your lenses are an extension of your eyes — and like anything worn close to the body, they work best with a little care. This guide walks you through everything, from your first time putting a lens in to keeping them comfortable, clean, and wear-ready for their full lifespan.

Before You Start

Before your very first wear, a few essentials:

  • Soak new lenses in fresh multipurpose solution for at least 6 hours before first use. This hydrates and conditions the lens for the most comfortable start.
  • Wash your hands with unscented soap, rinse, and dry with a lint-free towel. Clean hands are the single most important habit for healthy lens wear.
  • Trim your nails short or keep them smooth-edged. Long nails make lens handling harder and increase the risk of tearing a lens or scratching your eye.
  • Work over a clean, flat surface — if a lens drops, you want to find it quickly.

Easing In (For First-Time Wearers)

If coloured contacts are new to you, don't jump straight into a 10-hour day. Let your eyes adjust gradually.

Day Suggested Wear Time
Day 1 4 hours
Day 2 6 hours
Day 3 8 hours
Day 4 10 hours
Day 5 onwards Up to 10–12 hours

A few gentle rules:

  • Never wear lenses longer than 10–12 hours at a stretch.
  • Never sleep in your lenses.
  • If you've taken a long break from wearing, restart the ramp-up schedule from Day 1.

How to Put Your Lenses In

  1. Start with clean, dry hands and lenses that have been soaking in fresh solution.
  2. Place one lens on the tip of your index finger and check it's the right way out — a correctly oriented lens looks like a small bowl with straight edges. If the edges flare outward, it's inside out.
  3. Rinse the lens with a few drops of solution before it goes near your eye.
  4. Looking into a mirror, use your other hand to gently hold your upper eyelid open while pulling your lower lid down with the middle finger of your lens hand.
  5. Look slightly upward and gently place the lens on the coloured part of your eye.
  6. Slowly release your eyelids and close your eye for a moment to let the lens settle. Blink a few times.
  7. Repeat for the other eye — always starting with the same eye each time to avoid mixing up left and right.

How to Take Them Out

  1. Wash and dry your hands.
  2. Look into a mirror, look upward, and pull your lower eyelid down with your middle finger.
  3. Use your index finger to gently slide the lens down onto the white of your eye.
  4. Lightly pinch the lens between your thumb and index finger and lift it away.
  5. Clean, rinse, and store the lens — or discard it if it's a daily disposable.
  6. Repeat for the other eye.

Cleaning & Storage

After every wear, your reusable lenses need a quick but thorough clean.

  1. Fill your lens case with fresh multipurpose solution — never water, never saliva, never the same solution as yesterday.
  2. Place one lens in the palm of your hand and add a few drops of solution.
  3. Rub the lens gently back and forth with your index finger for about 15 seconds.
  4. Rinse the lens with more fresh solution.
  5. Place it in the correct side of the case (L/R) and repeat for the other lens.
  6. Close the case and let the lenses soak until your next wear.

Good habits to keep:

  • Replace the solution in your case every day, even if you haven't worn your lenses.
  • Replace the lens case itself every 3 months.
  • Rinse and deep-clean reusable lenses every 2–3 days to prevent protein build-up.
  • If a lens has been in solution for more than 7 days without being worn, replace the solution before wearing.

When to Replace Your Lenses

Each lens has a wear-life that begins the moment the sealed vial is opened.

  • Yearly lenses: Up to 12 months from first use.
  • 6-month lenses: Up to 6 months from first use.
  • Monthly (daily disposable) lenses: Worn once, then discarded.

If your lens becomes uncomfortable, looks cloudy, or develops a nick or tear before its expiry, stop wearing it and move to a fresh pair.

Is Lens-Wearing Right for You?

Coloured contact lenses are safe for the vast majority of people, but they may not suit you if you:

  1. Experience frequent eye infections.
  2. Have severe dry eyes, untreated allergies, or certain eye conditions.
  3. Live or work in environments with high dust or airborne irritants.
  4. Aren't able to keep up with the cleaning, storage, or replacement schedule.

If you're unsure, check in with your optometrist before your first wear.

Listen to Your Eyes

Stop wearing your lenses and contact an eye care professional if you experience any of the following:

  • Persistent redness, pain, or burning
  • Sudden blurred vision that doesn't clear with blinking
  • Unusual sensitivity to light
  • Discharge or a sensation that something is stuck in your eye

Your comfort is the most reliable signal. When in doubt, take them out.