According to a 2016 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 45 million people in the U.S. wear contact lenses. While eye doctors always tell us how to wear them properly, most of us don’t seem to listen. It turns out most contact lens wearers either keep their contacts for longer than recommended, top off the solution in their case instead of emptying it out and adding new solution, or wear their lenses while sleeping. To avoid complications due to common mistakes, this is what you need to remember when you put on and remove your contacts every day.

First of all, wash your hands. As obvious as it sounds, some people don’t understand how necessary it is to wash their hands before handling their contacts. And once you are done washing, dry your hands with a lint-free towel: just like microbes, water is not good for your eyes either. After putting on your contacts, empty its case in the sink, rinse it with contact solution, and wipe it out with a clean towel.

Getty Images / EyeEm / Punyaporn Phuangmala

If throughout the day one of your contacts pops out, don’t try to clean it by putting it in your mouth! Apparently, many people do this thinking they will be able to lubricate their lens when they don’t have any solution nearby, forgetting our saliva is full of bacteria. Either throw your contact away or remember to carry solution with you at all times. Finally, after removing your contacts, remember to give them a little rub between the tip of your fingers before putting them back in the case. This will help remove deposits that might have gotten stuck to the lenses.