5 Tips for First-Time Contact Lens Wearers
Have you recently started wearing contact lenses? It's not unusual to feel a little nervous when switching from eyeglasses to contacts. Whether you're concerned about inserting your lenses or identifying an inside-out lens, our tips will make wearing contact lenses a positive experience.
Start a Routine
Are you worried that you'll accidentally insert both contact lenses in the same eye? That's less likely to happen if you always insert the same lens first. Following an insertion and removal routine will also help you feel more comfortable when putting in and taking out your lenses.
Use these insertion steps to put a soft contact lens on your eye:
- Pull up on your upper eyelid slightly. This step is easier if you use a finger on your non-dominant hand.
- Place the contact lens on the index finger of the hand you use most often and gently pull down the lower eyelid with your middle finger.
- Place the lens on the center of your eye and blink a few times to correctly position the lens.
To remove your lenses:
- Gently pull down on your lower eyelid and up on your upper eyelid with the opposite hand.
- Use your dominant hand, the one you use most often, to gently pinch the lens and remove it.
Do These Things First
Before you put in your lenses:
- Take a Shower. Tap water may contain bacteria or amoebas that could cause eye infections if you get water in your eye during a shower. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also notes that soft contacts could swell and stick to your eye when exposed to water. If that happens, you might develop a painful scratch on your cornea.
- Dry Your Hair. The heat produced by a hair dryer could dry out your contact lenses and make them feel uncomfortable.
- Use Hairspray. Use hairspray and other aerosol products, like perfume or deodorant, before inserting your lenses. These products could contaminate your lenses if used after inserting your contacts.
- Wash Your Hands. Reduce your risk for eye infections by washing your hands with soap and water before you handle your contact lenses.
Put makeup on after you insert your lenses. Tiny makeup particles may cling to your fingers even after you wash your hands and could transfer to your lenses.
Learn Which Way Is Up
If your eye feels uncomfortable after you insert a lens, your contact may be inside out. All About Vision recommends looking at the lens from the side. If it resembles a cup with upright edges, it's fine to put in your eye. Your contact lens is inside out if it resembles a soup bowl with a rim.
All About Vision also recommends the taco test. This test involves gently squeezing the contact lens near the center and observing the edges. The lens is fine if the edges point straight up and the contact looks like a hard taco. The edges of an inside-out contact lens will bend outward.
Keep Contact Lens Supplies with You
Don't leave the house without a contact lens case and rewetting drops. If a piece of dust or an eyelash sticks to your lens while you're out, simply rinse your lens with the rewetting solution and reinsert.
If the lens is still uncomfortable, put it in the case and add rewetting solution to keep it moist. Daily disposable lenses should be thrown away instead. Don't try to reinsert a torn or noticeably dirty lens. Replace your lens cases every three months or sooner if you notice they're dirty.
It's a good idea to bring your eyeglasses with you if you'll be away from home for a few hours. You'll be glad you brought your glasses if your contact lenses become uncomfortable or you need to take them out for any reason.
Let Your Optometrist Know If You're Having Problems
Your eye doctor and optometry staff have plenty of experience helping patients adjust to contact lenses. They can offer helpful suggestions if you're struggling with insertion or removal or make suggestions to improve comfort. Let them know if you're having trouble with lens fit or comfort, even if the discomfort is minor.
Interested in trying contact lenses? Contact our office to schedule an appointment with the eye doctor.
Sources:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Healthy Habits: Keeping Water Away from Contact Lense, 4/15/2024
https://www.cdc.gov/contact-lenses/about/healthy-habits-keeping-water-away-from-contact-lenses.html
All About Vision: How Can I Tell if My Contacts Are Inside Out?, 1/11/2019
https://www.allaboutvision.com/contacts/faq/inside-out.htm
American Academy of Ophthalmology: Contact Lens Care: You’re Probably Doing it Wrong, 8/1/2018
https://www.aao.org/newsroom/news-releases/detail/contact-lens-care-you-re-probably-doing-it-wrong