How to Find a Lost Contact Lens

It's unfortunate that contact lenses are too small to have beepers for these moments of panic.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Nylons
• Flashlight Or Bright Lamp
• Vacuum With Hose Attachment
• Rubber Band

1. If you have dropped a lens into the sink, plug the drain immediately and turn off the water. Gently pat the sink and surrounding area with your fingertips to find the lens. (If it went down the drain, see How to Rescue an Item From the Sink.)

2. Check your clothing carefully to see if the lens fell into a sleeve or got caught in a hem or pocket.

3. Ask everyone who is searching for the lens to remove their shoes. Someone might discover it by stepping on it.

4. Turn off the lights and search the vicinity with a flashlight or bright lamp. Get down so you're at eye level with the floor and look for any glint from the lens.

5. Place a nylon over the end of a vacuum hose and secure it with a rubber band. Keep the nozzle about 1 inch (2.5 cm) above the floor. Turn on the vacuum. The nylon will catch the lens.

6. Clean, rinse and disinfect the lens before you place it in your eye.

Tips & Warnings

• When you are removing contact lenses, place a dark towel on the table or counter to make it easier to spot a dropped lens.
• If you have a child who tends to lose contact lenses, consider tinted ones. They're easier to spot, and some types don't affect eye color.

on 2/21/2006 Soft contact lenses are sticky and will stick to wet or dry skin easily. Sometimes a dropped lens will stick to your finger and you won't feel that it's there - so before you scramble around on the floor, look at your hands (particularly between your fingers) just in case.

on 11/22/2005 Remember that contact lenses can dry out quickly, and the longer they have been away from moisture, the more brittle they become. If a lens is very dry, be sure to soak it in saline for several minutes before attempting to clean it.

on 11/22/2005 Here's the best way to find one that has been dropped on the floor. Take a flashlight and shine it along the floor. It will highlight the contact lens.