Contact Lenses: Tips for Beginners

Are you new to wearing contact lenses? We know that putting in contact lenses and taking them out can be challenging at first. In fact, most patients struggle with it for the first few days or weeks. For that reason, our eye doctors and assistants will thoroughly explain the process of how to insert and remove contacts to you.

Here are some of their tips for new contact lens wearers. Even though using contact lenses might feel odd at first, you’ll likely get used to them very quickly.

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How to Insert Contact Lenses

1. Ensure you’ve closed the drain to the sink to keep lenses from falling into it.
2. Sanitize the area, and wash your hands. If you have long hair, you may want to pin it back to make sure it doesn’t get in your way, which can be frustrating if you’re just learning to insert the lenses.
3. Open the container and gently take out the contact.
4. Place the lens in the palm of your hand, and add several drops of multi-purpose contact solution onto the lens. Using the index finger of your other hand, gently rub the contact to clean it, and flip it over to clean the opposite side.
5. Make sure you’re looking at the correct side of the contact lens before inserting it into your eye. If the contact lens sits like a bowl, then it’s the right way up. If it’s slightly flared, then it’s inside out and needs to be flipped around. Flipping it is as simple as gently pushing down on the top of the lens; it will naturally flip on its own.
6. Using your dominant hand, hold your bottom lid down with your ring finger. Hold the contact with your middle finger, and lift your top eyelid with your other hand.
7. Insert the contact with your middle finger by laying the bottom part first and then following through gently to lay down the rest.

How to Remove Contact Lenses

Removing contacts can be tricky, so if you feel uncomfortable doing so, ask one of our optometrists or ophthalmologists to show you the proper method.

1. Start by washing and drying your hands.
2. Gently pinch only the contact lens to take it out of your eye. Be careful not to pinch your eye or make any abrupt movements.
3. After taking the contact out of your eye, rub the contact with the solution to clean it and place it back into the contact lens case.

Be Patient, You’ll Get Used to It

Although inserting and removing contact lenses can be awkward at first, with time doing so will become as natural as riding a bike or driving a car.

Putting contacts in is a personal experience, and everyone finds a way to do it that feels comfortable for them. If you realize you prefer using your pointer finger instead of your middle, go for it. If you would rather not lift your eyelid with your finger, that’s fine too. Whatever feels the most natural is the way you should insert and remove contacts each time you use them. Just remember to be gentle at all times!

Ask one of our eye doctors if you have any more questions or complications with using contacts. Contacts should be easy to apply and feel good throughout the day. If they do not, ask the doctor if another brand or prescription would be more suitable for you.

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