After Halloween, daily lenses go in the bin and reusable lenses get cleaned and stored in fresh solution in a clean case. Whether you can wear a pair again comes down to the lens's wear cycle, not how good they still look. Here is how to clean, store and get the full safe life out of your lenses, plus how to tell when a lens has had its day. Daily or reusable: which can you keep? The first question is what type you bought. Daily lenses are single-use. Wear them once, then throw them away the same night. They are not built to be cleaned and reused, no matter how briefly you wore them. Reusable lenses (monthly, 3-monthly, 6-monthly and yearly) can be worn again within their wear cycle, as long as you clean and store them properly. If you are not sure which you have, check the wear cycle on the pack or the product page before you decide to keep them. Wear cycles at a glance The wear cycle tells you how long a lens lasts once you start using it. As a quick reference: Type Reuse? Roughly how long once opened and worn Daily No One wear, then bin Monthly Yes Up to one month of wear 3-monthly Yes Up to three months 6-monthly Yes Up to six months Yearly Yes Up to twelve months The clock generally starts when you first open and wear the lens, not from the date on the box, so a yearly lens is not a year of storage plus a year of wear. How to clean and store reusable lenses Do this the moment you take them out, not the next day. Wash and dry your hands. Place each lens in your palm, add a few drops of solution, and gently rub it for a few seconds to lift off makeup and debris. Rinse with fresh solution, never water or saliva. Store the lenses in a clean case filled with fresh solution, not topped-up old solution. Even if you do not wear them again soon, refresh the solution at least every 7 days. You can find solutions, cases and cleaning accessories in one place if you need to restock. Look after the case, too The case is where most contamination hides. Rinse it with fresh solution after each use, let it air-dry face down, and replace it every three months. Never rinse it with tap water. A case kit is a cheap way to keep a fresh one on hand. How to tell a lens has gone off Even within its wear cycle, a lens can spoil if it is not cared for. Throw it out, do not wear it, if you notice any of these: The lens looks cloudy, filmy or discoloured even after cleaning. It feels rough, stiff or no longer comfortable. There is any tear, fold or rough edge. The solution in the case looks cloudy or has not been changed in over a week. When to throw them out Bin a lens if it is torn, folded or has a rough edge, if it has reached the end of its wear cycle, if it ever feels uncomfortable after cleaning, or if you had any eye irritation or infection while wearing it. When in doubt, throw it out. A new pair is far cheaper than treating an eye infection. Post-Halloween care FAQ Can I store lenses in water if I have run out of solution? No. Water is not sterile and can introduce harmful microbes. If you are out of solution, it is safer to bin a daily lens or buy fresh solution before storing a reusable one. How long can a reusable lens sit in its case unused? Within its wear cycle, but refresh the solution at least weekly. If it has been sitting a long time in old solution, replace the solution and inspect the lens before wearing. Can I reuse a daily lens if I only wore it for an hour? No. Dailies are designed for a single use regardless of how long you wore them. The short version Dailies in the bin, reusables cleaned and stored in fresh solution, case rinsed and replaced regularly, and nothing worn past its cycle or once it looks cloudy. Looking after them properly is what keeps your coloured contacts safe to wear again.
