Articles

How to Properly Clean and Store Your Ortho-K Lenses?

March 11, 2025

Maintaining your orthokeratology lenses helps keep them clean and prevents unpleasant vision issues later on. If you need a reminder to keep your lenses clean, our handy guide has you covered.

Your optometrist or ophthalmologist would no doubt have given you an aftercare kit to help you clean and store your ortho-K lenses. Besides the lenses’ storage case, this kit will contain a cleaning solution, lubricating eyedrops (to be used when you insert the lenses into your eyes). Maintaining the lenses’ hygiene allows you to enjoy the benefits of ortho-K lenses without worrying about side effects or eye-related complications.

How to Clean Your Ortho-k Contact Lenses

The general cleaning process is fairly simple. Once you have washed your hands, carefully extract the lenses from your eyes and place them in the palm of your hand. Then, gently rub and rinse the lenses using the cleaning solution you were given.

Gently place a few drops of the cleaning solution onto the lens and use your fingertip to carefully rub the lens in a circular motion for 10 to 15 seconds. Doing so helps to remove any accumulated deposits built up on the lenses.

You also want to ensure your fingernails are short beforehand so you do not accidentally scratch the lenses while cleaning them. After that, carefully rinse the lenses to remove these deposits thoroughly.

Once cleaned, store the lenses in the storage case and fill it with a disinfecting solution, usually hydrogen peroxide. Let it soak for at least six to eight hours, drain the solution, clean it with your cleaning solution, and let the case air dry. For hygienic reasons, it is recommended that you change your case every one to three months.

How to Carefully Insert Your Ortho-K Lenses

Carefully remove the lenses from the case and double-check that they are free of debris or damage. To help with the process, you can apply an eye drop to each eye to maximise comfort; you should also gently apply a saline solution to the lenses to ensure they are clean.
The lenses are typically colour-coded to help you identify which lens goes into which eye. To make things easier, start with your right eye first, then the left. With this in mind, carefully place the lens onto your fingertip, place a drop of eyedrop onto the lens and gently insert it into your eye. The best way to do this is to bend over forward while looking down, then carefully pull down on your lower eyelid while also pulling upwards on the upper eyelids to be as close to the lash line as it can.
From there, slowly press the lens onto the centre of your cornea, but be mindful not to put too much pressure.
After you place the lenses into each eye, let go of your eyelids and gently blink while still bent over to ensure the lens centres itself into position.

If you have some eye discomfort after doing so, carefully remove the lenses and rinse them with the saline solution once again. After a short while, put the lenses back on.

How to Safely Remove Your Ortho-K Lenses

When you need to remove your ortho-K lenses after waking up, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water. Then, apply eye drops to your eyes to ensure that the lenses do not adhere to your eye, making removal difficult.
Just like the insertion process, carefully bend over and face downwards, allowing gravity to help you with the removal.
Carefully use your fingers to open your eyelids and ensure they are wide enough to allow the lens to be safely removed.
Next, gently use your index finger on one hand to tug the upper eyelid and the index finger of your other hand to manipulate the lower eyelid.
Apply gentle pressure with both index fingers to let the eyelid’s margins move underneath the edge of the lens, then carefully move both fingers towards one another.
Alternatively, you can use a finger to pull the skin at the outside corner of your eye towards the ear and then blink forcefully to push the lenses out.

Other Crucial Tips to Maintain Your Ortho-K Lenses

While it may seem like a good idea to use tap water to wash your lenses clean, tap water may still have other foreign contaminants that can get into your eye and cause complications. It is a good idea only to use soft, clean tissues or a designated lint-free cloth to dab your lenses to dry them. Ask your optometrist or ophthalmologist for advice on drying your lenses if necessary.

Ortho-K lenses and cleaning solutions also have a shelf life, so avoid overusing them and dispose of them promptly and appropriately when needed. Using expired cleaning solutions is also a big red flag, as it can compromise the cleaning process and possibly even cause vision-related complications if you are not careful.

If you feel any unpleasantness or discomfort while using your lenses, remove them from your eyes immediately and have them cleaned properly. If the discomfort persists, seek medical attention immediately. Alongside good lens care habits, being prepared for what to expect in your first few months of ortho-K wear will make the adjustment period much smoother.

Enjoy Improved Vision with Philip D. Izaac

Orthokeratology’s many benefits for children and adults offer a safe and easy way to treat nearsightedness. If you want to try ortho-K, contact Philip D. Izaac today and schedule an appointment with us. We can walk you through the entire process and answer your every question before you make a decision. We will help you see through the process with the utmost patience and care.

About the Author

Dip. Optom. | B.Sc. Optom. (USA) | M.Sc. in Clinical Optom. (USA) | MOH Reg. No. E0801695J

Philip David Izaac is a fully registered optometrist who has been in vision care since 1988. He holds a Master of Science in Clinical Optometry from Pennsylvania College of Optometry, Salus University, USA, and practises at Paragon Medical Centre, Orchard Road, Singapore. Registered with the MOH Optometrists & Opticians Board (Reg. No. EO801695J) since 17 March 2008.