Contact lens disinfection.

Contact lens disinfection plays an important role in both patient education and office management. Several methods of disinfection are available for protecting the contact lens wearer from contamination by a variety of organisms, but no one system is best suited to all lenses, patients, or situations. Furthermore, these disinfection agents are only one component in an effective lens care system. Essential also is thorough lens cleaning and rinsing as well as preventing lens case contamination. The practitioner needs to educate each patient for optimal lens care compliance at home, and to instruct staff on maintaining safe trial lenses in-office.