Contacts

[DillyDallyDaydreamer]

Any tips from contact lens wearers? I've been to two appointments where opticians put them in for me but I haven't been able to get them out myself so I'm unable to take them home. Anyone else found it tricky to begin with? I think if I was allowed to take them home I'd get the hang of it.

How are you trying to take them out?

They won't let you home with them incase you can't get them out and stress!

Try making a V with your fingers and closing it as you get to the middle of your eye. You only need to be very light fingered. The contact will kind of pop out. I can do it without touching my eye now, but I'm a veteran.

Wash your hands first. They'll want to see that you remembered!

It is hard to begin with but you will get the hang of it. The V is a good tip.
Are you getting disposables ? They are thinner and a bit easier to get out imo.

It is a real knack, I struggled at first (16 years ago!).

Always wash hands, use a magnified mirror if you can, and relax. I would forget to breathe with all the concentration

I prefer to use my thumb and index finger, lightly touch either side of the lens and squeeze gently. It should pop off.

Be patient and good luck

I've worn lenses since I was 15 so hard to remember how I got used to putting them in so I just took them out to work out how I do it: Lens on second finger, slide in from outer corner of eye while looking away into bridge of nose. You can buy coloured non prescription lenses if you want to practice at home.

Thankyou they've taught me a slide and pinch method. I just don't understand why I find it so difficult . Yeah I can see why they won't let me take them home think it'll just take a bit of time. Guess I wad hoping there was a secret knack.

I look up and use my index finger to pull the lens down. Then once it is out of place I can grab using the v shape pinch others have mentioned. It just makes it a bit easier if you pull it down first as it is then a bit wrinkled and easier to grab.

I find it is best to make sure my hands are completely dry, then I can pinch more effectively.

YY to completely dry hands. Forgot about the fact tilt my head down but I look up (picture Princess Diana...that pose, haha).

Imagine it's like a suction cup over the dome of your eyeball, and you need to get a bit of air under it to release the air/grip.

OP do you have dry eyes? I have exceedingly dry eyes and absolutely struggled with either getting them in or out because they didn't ' float' properly. I'd had a drying times test and had a very low score for drying time. Not much to be done about it.

I had my eyes layered instead.

I've worn lenses for 32 years now, but mine are hard gas permeable ones, so to take them out I just stretch the skin at the side of the eye with my thumb, and blink. Pop!

Probably the only advantage to hard lenses is that they are easy to handle and remove than soft ones.

But OP, you will get the hang of it; it's just a case of practising. Try not to panic, and if your eye starts to get sore with all the poking, take a break for a few minutes and try again.

Lasered, not layered. Ipad autocorrect.grr.

I "pinch" them out with my thumb and finger in front of a mirror. Your hands need to be clean and absolutely dry to get a grip, and only a very light touch is required.

I had problems getting them out at first and I now realise it was down to using too much pressure and trying to almost gouge them out. One evening I actually panicked, poked my eye too much and had to go to the optician to get them to remove one for me. Never happened again.

I use the pull and pinch method. pull down then look up while pinching (gently).
I've worn lenses for over 20 years and have never been able to do it looking in a mirror though. For me that makes it impossible.

you can do a push pinch....use both index or middle fingers...close to the eye at the 3 and 9 o clock position, gently dab the pads of your fingers onto the lens and bring your fingers together

this can work if you need to see what you are doing, some people fail with the thumb/forefinger pinch as they can't see where their fingers are,

Likewise for the Lady Di look, middle finger on lower lid to keep it out of the way a little, index finger on lens swipe down a little and swoop across with your thumb to complete the pinch.

Some folks do better looking directly into a mirror, others are better looking down into a mirror on a flat surface, some are better without a mirror at all.

Try using your eye lids, you look down, leaning over a mirror and use your fingers to push your eye lids together - you need to get the eyelids 'wider' than the lens to start with.

Brilliant thanks everyone , I shall continue trying and practice the lady di pose.