Free planning tool
Contact lens case cleaning and replacement schedule
Review current CDC case-cleaning steps and FDA replacement guidance, then use the tool to set a planning reminder. Follow your eye care professional and the labeling for your lenses, solution, and case.
Your case and routine
Tell us how you use the case and how you currently care for it. Everything is calculated in your browser. Nothing is uploaded.
Use this routine only when it matches your prescribed multipurpose-solution system. Hydrogen peroxide systems require their special supplied case and label directions.
If you are not sure, use the date you last opened a new case.
Your schedule
Enter a valid start date to see your schedule.
How often should you replace a contact lens case?
FDA says to replace your contact lens storage case every three months or as directed by your eye care professional. Follow any different replacement schedule from your provider and the labeling for your lenses, solution, and case.
The replacement guidance in this section applies to the storage case supplied or specified by a prescribed reusable-lens care system. A dry organizer for unopened daily-disposable blister packs is a different product. It stays dry, never holds a bare lens or solution, and uses a user-selected inspection reminder rather than the soaking-case replacement reminder.
In multipurpose-solution mode, the tool creates a planning date and care checklist. Hydrogen peroxide systems require their special supplied case and label directions. The tool does not provide individualized medical guidance or replace instructions from your eye care professional, solution maker, case maker, or lens maker. In daily-pack organizer mode, it creates one inspection reminder on the date you choose for the shell, lid, hinge, and labels.
| Cadence | Task | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| After each use | Empty, rub, and rinse | Discard the used solution. With clean fingers, rub and rinse the case with fresh contact-lens solution specified for your care system. Never use water. |
| After each use | Dry upside down | Empty excess solution, then store the case upside down on a fresh, clean tissue with the caps off. |
| Every 3 months | Replace the case | FDA says to replace your contact lens storage case every three months or as directed by your eye care professional. |
| As directed | Follow case-specific instructions | Use the case supplied or specified for your care system, follow its labeling, and follow any different replacement direction from your eye care professional. |
How to clean a contact lens case, step by step
For the storage case supplied or specified by a reusable-lens care system, cleaning happens after each use. Replacement is a separate step: FDA says every three months or as directed by your eye care professional. Follow the labeling for the exact lens-care system you use.
After each use, discard the used solution. With clean fingers, rub and rinse the case with fresh contact-lens solution specified for your care system. Never use tap, bottled, or distilled water. FDA states that water exposure has been associated with Acanthamoeba keratitis.
Empty all excess solution after rubbing and rinsing. CDC says to store the clean case upside down on a fresh, clean tissue with the caps off after each use. Do not mix fresh solution with old or used solution.
Wash and dry your hands before touching lenses or the case. Care systems are not interchangeable. For example, CDC says hydrogen peroxide systems require the special case provided with that system. Follow all product labeling and ask your eye care professional when you are unsure which case or solution to use.
When to replace the case or check the instructions
Use the FDA three-month replacement guidance as the general reminder. Your provider and product labeling determine whether a different schedule or case applies.
Three months have passed
FDA says to replace a contact lens storage case every three months or as directed by your eye care professional.
Your provider set a different date
Follow the replacement schedule from your eye care professional when it differs from the general three-month reminder.
The case or cap is damaged
Stop using a damaged case and check the product labeling or ask your eye care professional which replacement is appropriate.
The case does not match the care system
Care systems differ. CDC says hydrogen peroxide systems require the special case provided with that system.
Water touched the case or lenses
Do not rinse again with water. Follow the care-system labeling, and contact your eye care professional for instructions if the lenses were exposed.
Five case-care mistakes to avoid
These practices conflict with current CDC or FDA contact-lens care guidance.
Rinsing with tap water
Never use tap, bottled, or distilled water. FDA says water exposure has been associated with Acanthamoeba keratitis. Use fresh contact-lens solution specified for your care system.
Topping off old solution
CDC says not to mix fresh solution with old or used solution because it reduces disinfection effectiveness. Discard used solution and use fresh solution each time.
Letting the case stay wet
After rubbing and rinsing with fresh solution, empty the excess and store the case upside down on a fresh, clean tissue with the caps off.
Keeping a case for a year
FDA says to replace the storage case every three months or as directed by your eye care professional.
Using the wrong case or solution
Follow the labeling for your lens-care system and use the case and fresh solution it specifies. Hydrogen peroxide systems require their special case.
What about daily disposables?
A soaking case and a dry organizer have different jobs. The cleaning and replacement guidance above applies to the case and solution supplied or specified by the prescribed reusable-lens care system. Sturdysight holds only sealed, unopened daily-disposable blister packs and never stores a worn lens, bare lens, or solution.
For a Sturdysight organizer, choose staging mode and select your own one-time reminder date. Keep it dry, follow current product care directions, inspect the shell, hinge, closure, and labels, and stop using it if damaged. Do not apply the soaking-case rinse or three-month replacement schedule to this dry organizer.
The replacement reminder calculator can separately track the lens schedule you enter. These tools are planning aids, not medical advice. Follow the lens maker, solution maker, case maker, and eye care professional instructions that apply to your prescribed care system.
Frequently asked questions
How often should you replace your contact lens case?
FDA says to replace your contact lens storage case every three months or as directed by your eye care professional. Follow the case labeling and any different schedule your provider gives you. This tool creates a planning reminder, but it does not change those instructions.
How do you clean a contact lens case the right way?
After each use, discard the used solution. With clean fingers, rub and rinse the case with fresh contact-lens solution specified for your care system, never water. Empty excess solution, then store the case upside down on a fresh, clean tissue with the caps off. Wash and dry your hands before touching the case or lenses.
Can I clean my contact lens case with water?
No. CDC and FDA say to avoid water when cleaning or storing contact lenses and their case. FDA states that water exposure has been associated with Acanthamoeba keratitis. Use fresh contact-lens solution specified for your care system, then store the case upside down on a fresh, clean tissue with the caps off.
Why replace a contact lens case every three months?
That is the current FDA replacement guidance for a contact lens storage case unless your eye care professional directs you differently. Cleaning after each use and scheduled replacement are separate instructions, so follow both along with the product labeling.
Do I need to clean a case if I only store daily disposables in it?
A dry organizer for unopened daily-disposable blister packs does not use the soaking-case cleaning or replacement routine. Keep it dry, follow the maker's care directions, inspect the shell, lid, hinge, and labels, and replace it if damaged. Never put a bare lens or solution inside. In staging mode, you choose a one-time inspection reminder date.
How does the case cleaning schedule generator work?
You tell the tool how you use the case, the date you started using it, and a few care details. It displays a planning date and care checklist that you can copy or save as a calendar reminder. It does not diagnose a condition or provide individualized medical guidance. Follow your eye care professional and the labeling for your lenses, solution, and case.
Is replacing the case really necessary if I clean it well?
FDA instructs wearers to replace the storage case every three months or as directed by an eye care professional. CDC separately instructs wearers to rub and rinse the case with fresh solution after each use, avoid water, and dry it upside down with the caps off. Follow both instructions.
Is this tool a substitute for my eye doctor's advice?
No. It is a planning aid based on published CDC and FDA guidance. Always follow the specific cleaning and replacement instructions from your eye care professional and the labeling for your lenses, solution, and case. Contact your provider promptly if you have eye pain, redness, light sensitivity, or sudden changes in vision.