If you're considering getting (or recently got) colour contact lenses, make sure you know how to care for your lenses. Proper care of your colour contact lenses is a simple process, but it is a process. Familiarizing yourself with the steps to care for your colour contact lenses properly will help you avoid eye irritation or infection.

Though there is a wide variety of types and brands of colour contact lensese, caring for them will be the same across the board. You will need some supplies for proper care and cleaning of your colour contacts. The following supplies can be purchased from your eye care clinic or directly from your local pharmacy:

- Good quality contact lens solution

- Contact lens case (having an extra one on hand is a good idea)

- Soft (gentle) plastic tweezers

That's it! The only other thing you'll need is a few minutes every single day to dedicate to the proper care of your coloured lenses.

The Best Solution

Long gone are the days when two separate solutions were needed; that is saline solution for storing your lenses and a cleaner for cleaning them. Multi-purpose solutions perform both duties with just one step. The best, lowest-maintenance solution to care for your colour contact lenses will be a no-rub, multipurpose solution. A good multi-purpose solution will not only disinfect your contacts, but also remove protein build-ups. Make sure to note that solutions for rigid lenses have a different formulation than that for soft lenses. You'll need to buy solution for soft lenses for your colour contacts.

Clean Those Coloured Contacts

Cleaning your colour contact lenses is really no different than cleaning clear lenses. The trick is to do it properly so that the lenses are disinfected, and to do it every single day. To properly clean your colour contact lenses, follow the steps below daily.

1. Wash and dry hands thoroughly before starting the process.

2. Take each colour lens out and rinse with multi-purpose solution by squirting the solution directly on each side of the lens.

3. Fill your lens case with fresh solution, put the lenses in the case, and screw the case closed. Let the colour contact lenses soak for at least 6 hours (ideally, overnight).

4. Before you put your colour contacts back in your eyes, rinse each side with fresh solution again.

Further Protein Removal

Multipurpose solution is all you need if you wear disposable colour contacts, as most people do. If, however, your colour contact lenses are of the more expensive, hand-painted variety that are designed to last about a year, you should consider also using protein-removing tablets as well. Using these tablets is especially recommended for people that use their colour contact lenses every day. The tablets you'll need to look for in this case are called enzymatic cleaner, or simply 'enzyme.' You can extend the life of your hand-painted colour contact lenses by soaking them in enzymatic cleaner once a month.

Lens Storage

A contact lens case is the most common place to store contacts. A contact lens case with screw-down lids will prevent any solution from leaking out. You can label your cases or get cases of different colours to keep your lenses organized in the event that you have more than one set of couloured lenses. Keep each lens case clean by washing it with soap and boiling it once a week. Make sure to wait until the lens case dries thoroughly before using it again.

Caring for colour contact lenses is easy once you get into a routine.