Contact lenses question 2

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About 3 weeks ago I asked if anyone here wears contacts to see what my chances of being able to use them might be. Well... I just had an appointment to try them 3 hours ago. I tolerated having them in pretty well, but when it was time to take them out, I must have tried 300-400 times across 35-40 minutes. At that point my eyes were too aggravated to try anymore and I gave up. I'll make a second attempt next week, but I think my chances of success are close to zero. Squeamishness, fine motor difficulties, and requiring heavy lenses all contributed to my failure, I think. The first half of that time, I couldn't even get into the eye. Once I did, I still couldn't get the lenses out of either eye. I only found out afterwards that you're supposed to move the lens away from the center of the eye before squeezing it.

For people with contacts, how did your first attempts at taking them out go? Do you have any suggestions on how to handle it? I tried looking it up, but found nothing I wasn't already told. Keep the top eyelid open with the other hand, the bottom with the dominant hand's middle finger, move the lens away and pinch it off with your thumb and index finger.

I think it's normal to struggle the first few times. I definitely did and I know a lot of other people who did as well. I'm surprised you didn't have trouble putting them in? I got them a long time ago so I can't remember well but I actually think I struggled with inserting them worse.

As far as removing them, sliding it away from the center of your eye first will make a big difference. It basically breaks the seal from your eye so that it can pinched off. I'm sorry they didn't tell you that from the beginning. I would definitely go back and try again. I think if you managed to put them in okay, your motor skills should be good enough to get them out. You're definitely not the only one who has struggled with them on the first try.

I never put them in, only the doc did. Pretty dumb that the receptionist who trained me didn't seem to be aware of moving it away before pinching it, and she has contacts herself. Only the doctor told me afterwards.

I realize that some people prefer contact lenses because they prefer the appearance. And it's said that contacts have more perfect optics, because they're right on the eye.

But it seems to me that they'd be way too much trouble.

Michael829

I don't think I move mine away from the center before pinching them.

I think what I do is, I get my thumb and index finger together and ready to pinch.

Then I kind of lean the side of my thumb against my lower lid so that the lid is pulled down a little bit.

Then I use the tip of that same thumb and the tip of my index finger to pinch up the lower edge of the contact lens and just lift it away.

So I guess what I'm going for is just moving the lower lid with part of the same thumb that does the pinching. It takes one hand. The trick with pinching is to know that the edge of the lens is pretty much always just overlapping the iris, and you just aim to pinch that outer edge and pull away.

When I put them IN, I get one and balance it on the pad of my index finger.

Then with my third finger of the same hand, I press against the underneath of my eye so that the lower lid is pulling down. And while I do that I open my eye wide by staring wide, and pop the lense onto just off-center of the eyeball, then blink it into center place.



It's really easy once you get the hang of it.

I got the contacts in and out successfully after another lady came over and suggested I only hold open my bottom eyelid instead of trying to hold both of them! I honestly wasn't expecting to be able to pull it off. Not sure what I'll do with them long-term though.

Yes, holding open only the bottom lid is how I do it (as posted above).

Glad you were able to do it.

Whoops. I did read your post but forgot it by then. Thanks!

I scratched my left eye slightly two nights ago getting the contact out. My fingernail was too long. Nothing too bad though. It wasn't even near the pupil.