How to Prevent White Marks on Contact Lenses

When you blink your tear film lubricates, and protects, your contact lenses. It also fills in millions of tiny pores on your lenses. Over time, lipids and proteins that normally get blinked away start to build up on your contact lens. This can cause irritation to your eyes and white spots on your contact lenses.

You can reduce these unhealthy and annoying deposits by regularly cleaning your contact lenses in a fresh multipurpose solution, and storing them inside a clean container. You can reduce the amount that collects on contact lenses by wearing them only for the recommended time.

Inserting your lenses correctly is another way to avoid eye irritation. Before handling your contacts, wash your hands thoroughly with antibacterial soap, and then dry them with a lint free towel. Then, hold your contact lens on the tip of your finger with its rim pointing upwards (like a half moon shape). If the contact lens has a cup-shaped shape or a clear rim on the edge, it’s inserted correctly. If the contact lens has a v-shaped shape or a darker tint around the edge, it must be reversed.

Many soft contact lens designs feature a handling or visibility color in the form of green or blue on the rim. This makes it easy to determine if a contact lens has been correctly positioned. This is especially useful for patients with astigmatism who can use this tint to help measure and determine the proper lens rotation.