Help me pass my contact lens initiation. I failed once already!

[tinseloatcake]

I really want to be able to use contacts as I am struggling with face masks and varifocals etc.

I had a trial on Monday at Specsavers, and managed to get them in twice but was really struggling, and especially to get them out. The optician took them out in the end.

I've watched the s/s videos, but could use some tips from others. Especially getting them out. I couldn't feel them to drag them to one side to remove them...

Thanks and pleeeease,

I’ve worn them since I was 12 and I’m now 40. A lot of it is just practice!

Make sure your nails are short, so you can use the pads of your fingers easily. Make sure your fingers are dry as this helps the lenses to stick to them when you try to remove them. I actually don’t drag mine to the side (a lot of people do though) I just grab the lens and pinch it and remove it. I look up when I do it I think so I’m grabbing the bottom edge.. not sure if that helps!?

I've worn contacts for 20 years and for some reason have never been able to pinch and slide them off of my eye.

Instead, I gently press my upper eye lid and lower eye lid with my index finger above and below the lens then blink while moving my fingers closer and my contact lens blinks right out.

Obviously that isn't the recommended method but if you google how to take out contact lenses without touching your eye it looks like a few people do it this way, there are videos.

I don’t slide mine: I just pinch them off the front of my eye with the pads of dry fingers. I use the side of my finger and thumb, rather than coming at my eye nails first.

I pinch mine off too, don't slide them to the side.
In the early days I used to find it easier to lay a mirror on a flat surface and out them in looking down on to the mirror. Put plenty of saline on your lens too. Also - and this is not to be done in public- it helps if you have your mouth open 😁

A lot of it is just practice!
This. You'll get used to it.

If you don't then there is a suction tool you can buy. Example here (sorry, it's an Amazon link; other shops are available).

Agree with everyone saying pinch not drag. Just put pads of thumb aand forefinger on opposite side of the lenses and then slide fingers together. Easier if lenses/eyes are not dehydrated.

Also - and this is not to be done in public- it helps if you have your mouth open 😁

Hahaha, so true! WHY IS THIS?

I pinch mine out too.

And the mouth thing helps too. It’s weird!

Amazing tips! Thanks all for all the tips. I managed it! Only problem now is I don't think the prescription is right. I have to blink to focus a lot. Is that normal. I can also see the edges pretty easily which is slightly disconcerting. And I have readers to put on top which I'm not used to yet.

Mouth tip was good. A mask helps!!

Also looking down to get them out

Just wondering why readers to put on top, doesn't that defeat the purpose?
I appreciate distance glasses with a mask is an issue currently though.

I've had distance lenses for 30+ years and in the last 18m my near sight has deteriorated.
I've been back and forth to my opticians, readers were suggested but honestly I might as well use distance glasses and nothing for close, as I have been doing while this is sorted.

I tried multifocal - but couldn't see distance or close through them.

Then tried mono-vision (dominate eye normal distance prescription, other eye lesser prescription) and have had to work with them to get the balance right but am now sorted (except they just sent me 3m of my old prescription 🤔).
They are excellent, just a shame my dominate eye is the one with an astigmatism as they think there will come a point where I'll be at normal I one eye and nothing in the other, and that will cost more for the toric than the other.

Mono-vision were cheaper than multifocal as well.

My mum has had mono-vision for about 20 years.

Having said that they don't work for some people, but I though worth mentioning in case it is something you haven't explored.

Sorry I haven't understood all your post. I don't know about it all yet. The lenses are toric because of an astigmatism too. They couldn't find varifocals as well as toric.

I only need the readers for close work, it is liberating not wearing glasses for walking around.

It is not perfect.

No problem.

There are definitely multi/vari-focals torics, but maybe it depends how bad your astigmatism is.

I do get the not wanting glassing for walking round, I suppose the trade off depends how much you use each for. ATM I'm not going anywhere, so need the close assistance much more than the distance.

Maybe if you get used to them it would be worth talking to your optician again about multi or mono vision options.

If it was the mono-vision bit you didn't understand...
I am -1.5 in each eye for distance, but my close vision is deteriorating due tk age.
We've settled on -1.5 in my dominant eye, and -0.75 in my other eye.
With that combination I can see both distance, close and middle (tv) just fine.

The only problem I have is I raise a drink in my right had whilst reading I can't see the print as the hand/drink blocks my right eye vision, and that's the lesser prescription one, so I'm left looking at the close item with my distance eye. I need to learn to pick up drinks with my other hand, but a life time of right handed bias isn't going to be easy to shift!

We did try with -1.5 in my dominant eye and nothing in the other but while distance and close were fine I couldn't see the tv.

Just wanted to say a lot of it is trial and error with finding the best lenses for you. I have one eye with severe astigmatism but I can’t get on with toric lenses at all. The best ones comfort and vision wise are specsavers £13 a month basic ones - and I have sjorgens dry eye issues too so you’d expect I’d prefer some super moist expensive ones...!

I have toric distance lenses for my astigmatism and then put £5 off the shelf readers on top for closer work. My optician told me not to waste my money on readers from him as the lenses were correcting my vision and the cheap supermarket readers would be fine. Consequently I have about 10 pairs dotted around the house.
With a toric lens, the lens has to be sitting in the right place in the eye to correct the vision. If you are not finding its correct, try blinking a lot or using your finger to push up your bottom lid to try and rotate it in the eye. After a little while you will think nothing of sticking your finger in your eye and rotating the lens . Alternatively the astigmatism correction could be wrong but your optician will check how the lens is sitting.
Keep going!!

Interesting posts.

So mono vision means a different lens in each eye? They did mention that as an option.

Last post is making me wonder. Blinking a lot was making a difference, and I'm sure it was worse today than yesterday.

Is TV middle vision? I can't see it brilliantly with my varifocal glasses on. Nor anything else at the moment.