How to Prevent White Marks on Contact Lenses

When you blink, your tear film lubricates and protects your contact lens. It also fills the millions of tiny holes, called pores, on your contact lenses. Over time, lipids & proteins that are normally blinked away begin to build up. The lipids and proteins can irritate your eye and cause white spots to appear on your lenses.

The good news is that you can keep these annoying and unhealthy deposits to a minimum by regularly washing your contact lenses with fresh multipurpose solution and storing them in 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. First, wash your hands with antibacterial soap and dry them thoroughly with a clean, lint-free towel before handling your contacts. Hold your contact lens with the rim facing upwards on the tip your finger (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 have a handling or visibility tint in the form of a green or blue color on the rim that makes it easy to see whether a contact lens is correctly positioned. This is particularly helpful for patients who have astigmatism. They can use the tint to measure and determine proper rotation.