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We all know that the winter months can be dreary, with shortened days and extreme weather conditions, but what does this mean for your contact lenses?
As temperatures drop, packages delivered outdoors are susceptible to the cold conditions of their surroundings. As a result, you may possibly find yourself with boxes of contacts that have become frozen.
However, you shouldn’t fret. There is no need for you to throw your new contacts out and reorder a new batch.
What do I do if my contact lenses have frozen?
The good news about frozen contact lenses is that they’re completely salvageable. But how? The answer is quite simple: let your frozen contact lens packets thaw at room temperature.
The contact lenses are protected by the solution in which they are stored. As long as the seal on the packet remains intact, the contact lenses will remain sterile.
How long will it take to defrost?
Patience is absolutely necessary during this process. If you leave them to defrost overnight, they should be ready to go the next morning.
It is not recommended that you try to speed up the process by placing the frozen contacts in a warm setting. The heat can change the chemical properties in the solution, which can negatively affect the quality of your contacts.
As long as your contact lenses are thawed at room temperature, there should be no damage to the lenses. Until then, you’ll need to stick it out with your glasses for just a little while longer.
My contacts have thawed; now what?
Once defrosted, rinse your contacts with fresh saline solution before inserting them into your eyes. Now, you’re all set to see the world clearly with your new contacts!
While this occurrence is very rare, if your contacts have become defective or uncomfortable after being frozen, please discard the lens and contact us right away.
What else do I need to know about wearing contacts in the winter?
If you live in extremely cold regions, another thought may have crossed your mind. Can contact lenses freeze in your eyes while you’re wearing them? The answer is no, contacts won’t freeze while you’re wearing them because they are kept warm by the temperature of your cornea and tears.
Wearing contact lenses in wintertime conditions can definitely leave them feeling dry, though. Your eyes and lenses are exposed to varying temperature changes – from chilling winds outdoors to high heat indoors – throughout the day that can dehydrate your eyes. To keep your eyes feeling moisturized, we recommend having some lubricating eye drops on hand.
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