Care for contact lenses
Dear Readers: Are you one of the more than 35 million Americans who wear CONTACT LENSES? If so, here are some very helpful hints from the Food and Drug Administration about caring for contact lenses:
n Always wash your hands before putting in or taking out your contact lenses.
n NEVER place contact lenses in your mouth to wet them! (I know people do this, and it’s gross! — Heloise)
n DO NOT shower or swim with your contact lenses in. Any type of water (ocean, tap, bottled, etc.) is not sterile and can cause infections.
n Only use products and solutions that your eye doctor has recommended.
n Do not use any expired solutions.
n Do not reuse solution that contacts have been in.
n When traveling, only use store-bought, travel-size containers of solution. Do not place contact solution into another container, because it won’t be sterile.
n Every day, clean, rinse and air-dry the contact case, and completely replace the case every six months.
— Heloise
P.S.: I wear only one “soft” lens occasionally, so these hints are a good reminder for me.
DON’T FORGET
Dear Heloise: Because I work five days a week at different locations, and a good distance from town, I started leaving a plastic, shoe-box-size container on the table next to my front door. Every time I think of something that needs to be taken to work or town the next time, I put it in the box. I carry this with me to my car every morning and back in at night. I can’t begin to tell you how many times this has saved me from forgetting something important or having to go back home to retrieve the item. — Shirley R. in Arkansas
KEEP OFF
Dear Heloise: I have a hint to keep my cats and dogs off my couch so they don’t get it hairy. I bought a plastic runner (with pointy nubs on the bottom) that you use to keep dirt and snow off your carpet. It was cut to the length of the couch and covers all three cushions. With the nub side facing up, the animals do not enjoy sitting on it. When guests come, I just roll it up and put it aside. — Diane T. in Ohio
That’s one way to keep them off the furniture! Aluminum foil also can keep them away, as they don’t usually like the sound it makes. — Heloise
GIFT WRAPPING
Dear Heloise: I do a lot of sewing and quilting, and I started saving the leftover fabric scraps to use as gift wrap. A square is the best shape, but I have used many pieces that otherwise would have been thrown out. It’s a great way to recycle otherwise unusable pieces of fabric.
You also can use dish towels, napkins or scarves to wrap gifts. They can be reused by the person receiving the gift. They also are environmentally friendly! — Melinda S. in Georgia
Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to 1-210-HELOISE or email it to Heloise@Heloise.com. I can’t answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.