Contact Lens Q&A

How to clean Duette contacts

Clean Your Duette Lenses Daily

1. Place the lens bowl-side up in the palm of your hand. Rinse your lenses with a daily cleaner approved for soft contact lenses. Never use tap water to rinse or store your lenses.
2. With the pad of your ring finger, gently rub the entire lens in a circular motion against the palm of your hand. Be sure to thoroughly clean the front and back of the lens and then rinse it well with a preservative-free saline solution such as LacriPure from Menicon.
3. Store your lenses in either a hydrogen peroxide system OR multi-purpose disinfecting solution.

The recommended replacement schedule for Duette lenses is every six months.

It is important that you always follow your eye care professional’s instructions. Based on your individual needs, your eye care professional may recommend a different replacement schedule.

Duette Lens Handling & Care Video >>

How to put in Duette contacts

Always wash your hands with mild soap and dry them well with a lint-free towel before handling the lenses. It is a good idea to handle your lenses in the same order each time to avoid getting them mixed up.

Putting in Duette lenses is just like putting in a soft contact lens.

1. Place the lens on the tip of your finger. A drop of preservative-free lubricant can be added to the bowl, if desired.
2. Pull down on you lower lid and gently place the lens on your eye. Slowly release your eyelid and blink several times.

Duette Lens Handling & Care Video >>

How to remove Duette contacts

“Tissue Trainer” Method

First, practice removing your lenses with a tissue. The tissue should make removing these moist lenses easy, and can always be used as a “back-up” removal method if needed.

1. Place the tissue over your forefinger and thumb.
2. Using a strong narrow pinch, with the fingertips at the 5 and 7 o’clock positions on the lens, apply slight pressure; wait for a “1, 2” count and then roll fingertips together and back toward the palm of the hand.

DRY Finger “Pinch” Method

Once you are comfortable and confident using a tissue to remove your lenses, you can practice removing the lenses without the tissue, using a strong narrow pinch with very dry fingers (in place of the dry tissue).

1. Using one hand, pull your upper lid back.
2. Using your finger on the opposite hand, pull down your lower lid gently.
3. Place very dry fingertips at the 5 and 7 o’clock positions on the lens and apply slight pressure; wait for a “1, 2” count and then roll fingertips together and back toward the palm of the hand.
4. Fingers need to be dried with a towel between each removal attempt. Rubbing fingers together until heat is felt from the friction will also ensure fingers are completely dry.

Duette Lens Handling & Care Video >>

How to care for Duette contact lenses

Lens Care Solutions

Disinfection Systems: Use chemical (not heat) disinfection systems (Multi-Purpose or Hydrogen Peroxide* solutions), as recommended by your eye care professional.

Daily Cleaner: The standard of care for contact lenses recommends using a daily cleaner approved for soft contact lenses.

Rewetting Drops: If needed, use rewetting drops approved for soft contact lenses, as directed by your eye care practitioner.

*In some patients the tear chemistry may react with the hydrogen peroxide to cause a permanent white ring at the junction of the rigid center and soft skirt. This ring does not affect vision or comfort.

Duette Lens Handling & Care Video >>

What is the difference between hybrid contacts and sclerals?

Hybrid contact lenses offer clear and stable vision from a gas permeable (GP) center and comfort from a soft lens material called a skirt. The soft skirt makes the lens comfortable and helps pump tears and deliver oxygen throughout the day.

Scleral contact lenses are much bigger than a hybrid or a gas permeable (GP) lens. Similar to a hybrid, the scleral vaults over the cornea; however, the whole scleral lens is made of a gas permeable material even the portion of the scleral lens that lands on the white part of the eye (sclera). Tear circulation is minimized.

What is the difference between a GP lens and a hybrid?

GP lenses have been prescribed to people with keratoconus for many years. The GP lens is often the answer for people that can’t get good vision out of a soft lens.

A hybrid lens delivers the benefits of a GP lens, but also has several additional benefits. First, the lens has a soft skirt, which makes it more comfortable. The skirt also holds the GP lens in place; thereby preventing the lens from dislodging during activities or sports. The skirt also helps to prevent dirt and debris from getting under the lens.

Can people that have Intacs®, wear contacts?

Yes.  Intacs corneal implants are an FDA approved option for the keratoconus patient.  They are two small crescents of a contact lens-like material (PMMA) that are implanted on the outer edge of the cornea. One of the primary goals in Intacs in keratoconus is to make the eye again tolerant of contact lenses and to avoid corneal transplantation.

What are Scleral lenses?

Scleral contacts are large-diameter gas permeable contact lenses specially designed to vault over the entire corneal surface and rest on the “white” of the eye (the sclera). In doing so, scleral lenses functionally replace the irregular cornea with a perfectly smooth optical surface to correct vision problems caused by keratoconus and other corneal irregularities.

How do I insert Scleral lenses?

Before inserting scleral lenses, begin by washing your hands with mild soap and dry well with a lint-free towel before handling the lenses. Place lens on insertion tool OR stabilize lens on fingers placed in the tripod method, then fill bowl of lens to the top with non-preserved sterile saline.

Follow these steps:

1. Lean forward and look down. Face should be parallel to the floor. Sometimes it’s helpful to place a mirror flat on the counter as you insert the lens.
2. With the finger of one hand, hold upper lid by placing one finger on the base of the lashes and pin the lid to the brow bone.
3. Using the opposite hand, with palm facing up, place the inserter between thumb and index finger. Pull the lower lid down with middle finger, holding the eye wide open.
4. Gently place lens on eye by sliding lens inside lower lid and applying directly to eye. Remove inserter from lens by squeezing the inserter.

Remember: there are many ways to insert scleral lenses. We recommend you pick the method that works best for you.

Insertion, Removal & Lens Care Videos >>

How do I remove Scleral lenses?

Before removing scleral lenses, always wash hands with mild soap and dry well with a lint-free towel before handling the lenses.

Follow these steps:

1. Wet the remover with sterile saline.
2. Hold lower lid down, position remover at a 45° angle. Place remover on the lower 1/3 of the scleral lens.
3. Apply slight pressure to the inserter. Inserter should stick to the lens.
4. Lift lens away from eye with a slight upward motion.
5. Remove lens from remover with a slight twisting motion.

Insertion, Removal & Lens Care Videos >>

How often do I replace my Scleral lenses?

The recommended replacement schedule for scleral lenses is every year.