Dailies Contact Lenses

My contact lens will be ready in a week so I have a week to practice putting them in. Any tips?

On Friday I was at the optometrist learning to put in my contact lenses. I could not do it. After about five minutes, the lens tore. Now they have to order me a new one and it will take a week. How can I practice at home? Can I practice keeping my eyelids open and touching the whites of my eye with my bare finger, or can it hurt the eye? Looking forward to hearing any suggestions or tips.

Public Comments

1. use your index finger on the opposite hand to put lense into L/R eye. hold eye open with middle finger of opposite hand.
2. just practice putting your finger NEAR your eye [not into it you might hurt yourself] when i go my lenses aged 12, i found that one of the reasons i couldn't put my lenses in was because i felt squeamish and weird putting something IN my eye. but actually just think of it as a cover over your eye. you also have 2 be VERY gentle with your lenses when you get them because, as you have discovered, they are very delicate! hope this a helps a bit!
3. if you are right handed and you are putting them in your right eye put the contact on your middle finger and pull down on you bottom eye lid with you left hand and the with you index finger pull your top eye lid up and place it on the white of your eye and once you hear it adhere to you eye move it onto you pupil with you finger you will know its there when you can see out of it. then do the same with you left.
4. When I was first learning to put my contacts in, I had the same problem. A good thing for beginners to do is look as far to the left as possible and place the lens on the white part of the eye and immediately look to the right and into the lens. Easiest way to do it. Before my lenses came in, they had me go home, wash my hands thoroughly and practice touching the white part of my eye. No, it won't hurt your eye, as long as you touch the WHITE part and as long as your hands are completely washed and free of soap or lint. (Use a lint free towel to dry your hands, such as a paper towel. NOT toilet paper, tissue, your shirt, or bath towel) Make sure to hold the bottom and top eyelids open. The bottom with your right middle finger and the top with your left middle finger (Right Eye) the bottom with your left middle finger and top with you right middle finger (Left Eye). ALWAYS use the index finger of your dominant hand when inserting contacts. NEVER use the middle finger like some people do, it just makes it more difficult. Keep practicing and you'll become an expert. Remember that the lens is made to go in your eye and if you follow all of the directions, you will NOT get hurt by the lenses at all. I was once in your position, but now I can put a lens in in like 10 seconds and without a mirror. Practice makes perfect. Also keep the lens clean. If you put a dirty lens in, it'll irritate for the entire time it's in. If it's clean, it'll irritate when it first goes in (that's normal) but it'll go away in a minute or so. That's how you know. Take care of your contacts and your contacts will take care of you........
5. I've never quite 'got' this holding your eye open with the other hand..which is maybe why it took me so long to get used to them when I first got them. My take? and it is only an opinion. You need to get used to having your fingers near your eyes - I'm squeamish about eyes and always will be, can only touch the white of my eye near the lashes. When you get the lens, lean over a mirror in a good light, whichever eye your putting the lens in - hold it wide open. (not with your fingers, just open your eyes) and when you're putting the lens in, don't try and focus the eye you're inserting the lens into - try to focus with the other eye, it's a knack you'll pick up in time.. And don't forget - always make sure your hands are clean when handling them or your eyes.
6. don't think you can practice without the lens!