If you've done all the things you need to do to get contact lenses, including visiting your eye doctor and trying on a few lenses, and you're sitting down to put in your contact lenses for the first time, or the third time, or the hundredth time, no matter how skilled you are at putting in and taking out your contact lenses, there's bound to be one method you love over others and that's your favorite.
Everyone has a different way of doing this, and figuring out which method is easiest and most comfortable for you can be a bit confusing. To ease the pressure and help you win arguments with strangers online, we've put together a collection of methods.
Preparation phase
You need to make sure your hands are completely clean and dry, because you don't want to touch your eyes with germs on your fingers. Wash your hands with soap and water and then dry them with a lint-free towel so nothing gets on your fingers. Now you can start putting in your contact lenses, whether you're using a new pair or taking them out of the sterile contact lens case. It's important to note that you'll need to check the lens for dirt, scratches, foreign fluff, or anything else that shouldn't be on your contact lenses.
Make sure the lens is on the correct side. It should look like a small bowl, not a flying saucer. It's best to always put the right lens in first or the left lens in first. You can continue using the same technique and never mix them up. This is especially important if you have a different lens for each eye. You can use one or both hands to put in your contact lenses.
Putting in contact lenses with one hand
- Make sure when the lens is on your index finger that it is on the correct side, so that when viewed from above, the top edges should be visible while the inside of the lens is at the bottom.
- Keep your head straight while looking straight ahead and then pull your lower eyelid down with the middle finger of the hand holding the contact lens.
- Look at a point above you and then place the lens on the lower white part of your eye.
- Remove your index finger and slowly release your lower eyelid.
- Look down until the lens is in the correct position.
Close your eyes several times so that the lens is focused correctly in your eye.
Applying contact lenses with both hands
- Lift the lens with your index finger and use the middle finger of your other hand to pull your upper eyelid up toward your eyebrow.
- Use your middle finger on the hand with which you are holding the lens to pull your lower eyelid down.
- Place the lens on your eye.
- Hold this position and look down until the lens is in the correct position.
- Slowly release the lower eyelid.
Now that you have your contact lenses in place, you can go out and seize the day with clear vision and 100 percent attractive eyes.
Remove contact lenses
When you come back from a great day, you probably want to remove your contact lenses before going to sleep, because there is a chance that some bad or inappropriate things will happen if you do not remove your contact lenses from your eyes before going to sleep.
There are three options when removing contact lenses: pinch and pull, pull and pull, and squeeze and pull. Here's how to use them. Of course, before doing any of these things, you should wash your hands and dry them with a lint-free towel.
Dispense and remove contact lenses
- Look up and slowly pull down your lower eyelid with your middle finger.
- Place your index finger on the bottom edge of the lens.
- Gently pinch the lens between your thumb and index finger to remove it, avoiding making the edges of the lens stick together.
Pull and pull
- Look up and pull your lower eyelid down with your middle finger.
- Touch the colored part of your eye with your index finger to pick up the lens and gently pull it away from the colored part of your eye.
- When the lens is at the white part of your eye, place it between your thumb and forefinger and remove it.
pressure and extraction
- Press the upper and lower eyelid simultaneously to remove the contact lens and allow it to slide out of the eye.
Congratulations, you have successfully inserted and removed your contact lenses, but what do you do if the contact lens gets stuck to your eye?
Don't panic if the contact lens sticks to your eye while you're trying to remove it. This usually means it's dry. All you need to do is wash your eyes with drops to moisturize them or use contact lens solution, but don't use water. Wait a moment before gently rubbing your eyelid to remove the lens.
If the lens is not on the cornea, you can move your eye in the opposite direction from where you think the lens is and gently massage the eyelid to remove it.
