Contact Lens Insertion and Removal Technique
There are many ways to put on and remove contact lenses over time I have come to the conclusion that this is one of the best ways to start.
Always wash your hands before touching your contact lenses or your eye. Be certain to rinse well to avoid soap in the eye.
To Insert the Lens:
Use the hand on the side of the eye you are working with. This keeps you from having to reach around your nose (we’re not saying anything about your nose here) so right hand, right eye, left hand left eye.
Use the other hand to control your upper lid. At first your natural blink reflex can be very difficult to overcome. To grab your upper lid reach over your head. Look down and use your fingers to pin your upper lids and eyelashes against your eyebrow. Done properly you should not be able to close your eye. After you have been wearing contact lenses for a while you may skip this step all together.
Remove the lens from its case. Avoid stabbing the lens with your finger nail as this may puncture the lens.
Position the lens on the tip of your index finger. The goal is to position the lens so that the lens touches down evenly onto the surface of the eye. If one edge touches a lot sooner than the opposite edge the lens may fold as it touches your eye.
Be certain that the lens is right side out. The more “cupped” side should be against your eye. If you are uncertain flip the lens to the other side to see which is more cupped. If the lens appears to flare out at the very edge like an old fashioned soup plate you should check the other orientation. This can be pretty subtle. A little practice will help.
Lift the lens and dry off your finger tip. This will help the lens transfer onto your eye. Avoid touching the inside of the lens as this may leave debris that will cause irritation after the lens is inserted.
Hold your lower lid out of the way with your middle finger.
Look at yourself in the mirror.
Drop your chin. This exposes more white below your iris.
Sight over your finger at your eye in the mirror and place the lens.
After the lens touches down
DO NOT let go of your lids.
Look down with your eyes. This moves the lens behind the lower lid and helps to center the lens.
Let go of your lower lid only. This helps to hold the lens against your eye.
Move your eye left and right a couple of times. This helps to squeegee out any air bubbles that may be under the lens.
Then let go of your upper lid.
Hooray you’re a success.
If the lens is uncomfortable after insertion:
Its time to apply the world famous Britt Slide Technique.
Turn your face away from the mirror so that the eye that is bothering you is farther from the mirror than the good eye.
Put your finger on the lens at the place where the colored part (iris) meets the white part (sclera). This will put your finger on the edge of the lens.
Slide the lens off of your cornea so that the lens is shifted onto the white part of your eye. You need to move the lens far enough so that your vision is blurry in that eye. Now that you have moved the lens completely off center just push it back into position. This movement allows debris to roll out from the lens.
Removing the lens:
Use the hand on the side of the eye you are working with. This keeps you from having to reach around your nose (we’re not saying anything about your nose here) so right hand, right eye, left hand left eye.
Use the other hand to control your upper lid. At first your natural blink reflex can be very difficult to overcome. To grab your upper lid reach over your head. Look down and use your fingers to pin your upper lids and eyelashes against your eyebrow. Done properly you should not be able to close your eye. After you have been wearing contact lenses for a while you may skip this step all together.
Use your middle finger to hold down your lower lid.
Look at your self in the mirror and drop your chin to increase the amount of room available to work in.
With your index finger and your thumb pinch the lens off your eye. Your fingers should aim for the place where the colored part of your eye meets the white. At out 4 o’clock and 8 o’clock. Don’t worry you won’t pinch your eye. Instead as you make the pinching motion you are actually creating a wrinkle in the lens which will aloow air under the lens. Once the surface tension is broken the lens will come off between your two fingers.
Cleaning your lenses:
After you remove your lenses you should clean them.
Place the lens in the palm of your hand with a small puddle of multipurpose solution or daily cleaner.
Rub back and forth for 10 seconds on each side of the lens. The lens will stick to your finger so that friction is only occurring between the lens and the palm of your hand. This is why you should this rubbing removes surface protein and debris which may interfere with the effectiveness of the multi-purpose solution.
Store the lens in a clean case with enough solution to cover the lens.
After putting on your contact lenses rinse the case under hot running water and and leave open during the day. Drying the case kills many of the organisms that can cause an eye infection
