How to Put in Your Contacts
While you may be curious about using contact lenses as an alternative to glasses, you may also be wondering how your daily life will change once you start wearing contacts. If you have been putting off purchasing your first pair due to concerns over complicated rituals that require you to spend more time than ever getting ready in the morning, don't worry -- putting in your contacts becomes second nature with just a little practice. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Antibacterial soap
- Lint-free towel (optional)
- Contact lens solution
- Wall mirror
Instructions
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1
Open your contact lens case -- you will want the least possible contact with items other than your lenses once your hands are clean, so make your lenses accessible even before washing your hands.
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2
Scrub your hands thoroughly with antibacterial soap to disinfect them. Do not use moisturizing soap that leaves traces of lotion on your hands, as this will sting your eyes.
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3
Shake excess water off of hands and allow them to air dry. You can also pat them dry with a towel as long as you make sure it is lint-free to avoid getting specks on your contacts when you handle them.
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4
Pick up your lens and rinse it for about five seconds with saline solution. Make sure both sides of the lens get washed down to remove any bits of dust or lint.
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5
Position the lens right side up on the fleshy tip of your forefinger. An inverted contact lens -- which you can identify by inspecting it closely to see if it is turned inside out -- will hurt and irritate the eye when inserted. If you have relatively large eyes, it may be enough to simply open your eyes wide as you face the mirror, gently pressing the lens down on your iris while you look straight ahead. If your eyes are somewhat small however, use your other hand's thumb and forefinger to spread your upper and lower eyelids apart. After the lens adheres, blink a few times to allow it to settle in place.
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6
Repeat Steps 4 and 5 for the other lens.
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Tips & Warnings
Rubbing your lenses as you clean them can actually scratch and damage your contacts. Try a no-rub contact lens solution if you haven't yet; it's formulated to disinfect your lenses even if you simply soak them in the solution. Leave a drop of contact lens solution on the side of the lens that will be facing your eye if you need some help getting your contacts to adhere. Those with dry eyes may especially benefit.
Remove your contact lens immediately if you feel pain, stinging or even discomfort. Rinse the lens again with solution and determine that you have not been attempting to insert it the wrong way. If you are still experiencing pain after reinserting the lens, take it out and do not attempt to put it back in as it may be ripped. In this case you will have to replace it. Do not wear a ripped contact lens no matter how small the tear seems; doing so may cause serious injury to your eyes.
