Contact lenses....Are there any helpful hints

[DocL]

on how to get them in?

I spent 45 minutes this morning with no success, and another 30 minutes just before posting this to get them in. I just got them yesterday and my eyes feel like they have had a poker jabbed into them trying to get these fokers in!!!!!

 

[MarkB]

Hey Doc, vanity comes with a price. Ouch!

 

[svalleynsx]

on how to get them in?

I spent 45 minutes this morning with no success, and another 30 minutes just before posting this to get them in. I just got them yesterday and my eyes feel like they have had a poker jabbed into them trying to get these fokers in!!!!!

Did you buy them on the street!? I'd have to assume if you got them prescribed by your optician he/she should've instructed you in the proper insertion method.

 

[O-Ace]

I had the same problem with contacts, so ditched that idea. Have you considered LASIK?

 

[caz-nsx]

When I first got contacts it took a while to get them in. After a few days it gets easier.

Here is my method: I set the contact on my right index finger and put a couple drops of solution in it. I then took my left index finger and second finger and placed one on the upper eyelid and the other on the lower. Pull the eyelids apart so you can't blink and lean toward the contact on your other finger. Go slow.

That's how I use to do it anyway. Last year I got LASIK so now I don't have to bother.

John

 

[DocL]

Re: Re: Contact lenses....Are there any helpful hints

Did you buy them on the street!?...

That's great!

I did get them from my eye doctor, and I spent 30 minutes at his office learning how to use them. But, I'm a complete wimp when it comes to my eyes. In the past it has taken me an entire bottle of visine just to get one drop into my eye. I'm going to give it a few more try's and if unsuccessful, back to the glasses.

Thanks guys.

 

[svalleynsx]

Just wondering cuz in some states you can legally buy them at 7-11, gas station mini-marts etc. The ones with the odd colors and weird designs painted in them that is. Strange LOL.

 

[Joel]

Well, after all these years of wearing glasses, swearing off contact lenses all the while because I HATED the idea of touching my eyeballs, I finally got them a couple of months ago because I got to the point of getting sick of glasses.

At first, it was a major PITA. But I thought it's worth the trouble to preserve the unobstructed panoramic view that glasses can't give you.

After many, many, many tries, here's the ritual that works best for me:

1. Prep your eyes by putting a couple of saline drops prior to your contacts.

2. Put contacts on your index finger making sure you don't have that concave shape you get if it's inside-out.

3. With your left index and thumb, open your eyelids.

4. With your right index (with contacts) approach the eyeball at an angle--not direct.

5. Wet eyeballs + wet contact lens = watch the lens just get "sucked up" into position.

6. Rub the lower eyelid against the lens to rid of air pockets.

7. Blink a few times to ensure proper placement.

8. Do the next eye. If you do it right, you won't have to touch the eyeball at all.


To remove, there's no getting around it. You'll have to touch the eyeballs on the sides to sweep it out. I usually wet my fingers first before doing so. Because dry fingers touching a dry sclera = ouch!

 

[ss_md]

Re: Re: Re: Contact lenses....Are there any helpful hints

I'm going to give it a few more try's and if unsuccessful, back to the glasses.

Thanks guys.

It is very hard getting used to sticking your finger in your eye! Keep trying - bite the bullet and be tough! Once you get used to it you'll love the freedom from your spectacles! I've been wearing contacts for over 18 years and would never go back to glasses (unless medically necessary).

 

[Zuerst]

DocL, are you suffering from small-Asian-eye syndrome...

Don't kill me, I'm Asian too...

 

[martin]

Hi

I prefer to have a dry right index finger and a soaked contact lense. If my finger are wet I can have trouble that the lense folds on the index finger.

With lense on the right index finger I insert the lense and let it be sucked in. When a little pressed for time I get trouble because I usually have a wet index finger.

I use the right index finger for the right eye too. Not sure if that is "normal" or what.

I usually move the lense from side to side/up and down to get rid of air bubbles. To take them out I move the lense with my finger to the lower part of the eye and grab it with my right indexfinger and thumb.

Regards

 

[Motegi]

I go at it a little differently than what others have suggested.

1) place very wet contact lense on the tip of index finger of hand on the same side as the intended eye.

2) Place base of contact lense hand on the lower edge of the jaw below the eye and use dry middle finger of the this hand to pull down the lower eyelid.

3) Place base of non-contact hand on forhead above the eye and use dry middle finger of this hand to hold up the upper eyelid.

4) Tilt head back slightly (15-20 degrees) but keep eyes looking forward.

5) place contact on eye slowly letting the turgor pressure from the contact solution "suck" the lense to the surface of the cornea.

6) switch hands for the other eye.

It is important for the middle fingers on each hand to be dry so that they can hold the eyelids without slipping.

The contact lense needs to be wet enough to be "sucked" onto the eye and to diminish irritation when placed.

I find this method has worked very well for me and can be done very quickly in the morning. This method keeps the hand with the contact lense very stable because it is braced against your jaw (you're less likely to poke your eye out) unlike some of the other methods.

Also, usually you can just dry your hands off once beforehand and grab the contacts from the holder with just the index finger and thumb on each side keeping the rest of the hand dry.

Taking out the contacts is another story...

Late,
Motegi

 

[D'Ecosse]

I'm a little surprised the subject is trouble getting them in - I would have thought trouble getting them out would be bigger issue for someone who doesn't like messing with their eyes (but maybe you haven't got that far yet!)

I prefer to use my pinkie finger - smaller, doesn't get in the way of your lids so much.
Transfer the lens with another finger from the case to the tip of the pinkie, ensure it is right side up.
Put a couple of drops of wetting solution in the lens so it is flooded.
*Open bottom eyelid with middle finger of opposite hand (just press downwards on centre outside of lid with one finger & it will open slightly)
Touch lens lightly against eye (do not press - allow the lens to just deposit on your eye) - do not blink at this stage!
Open top eyelid with your finger & thumb & lift over the top of the lens (don't laugh, this ensures that you won't blink it out, especially as you still have a lot of liquid under the lens)
As you "drop" your lid onto the lens, it will squeeze out some fluid, afterwards you should be able to blink normally.

*edit: when I realized when actually doing it I had reported slightly differently!

 

[MF-DIF]

It used to take me about 15-30mins to get my contacts in the 1st week I had them. Now I got it down to 30-60 seconds. My method is alot pretty different from what the doctor or others here have told you. Works best for me.

1. Wash hands!! It will sting like crazy if your hands are even a little dirty and oily. Remove contacts from storage and rub them in your palm with your finger to remove access water.

2. Key part, DO NOT add any more eye drops. The lens will stick to a surface with more water, water naturally sticks to wetter surfaces. (Remember chemesty class, water is stickey and will always seek out more water.)

3. Get in front of a mirror and look directly at the mirror and your contact with the finger on it. Do not roll your eye into your head, stare directly at your finger. Pop the contact in, it should stick instantly because your eye is wetter than your finger. Once in do not close your eye but instead look up, down, left, right, to move the air bubbles out.

4. Repeat, with other eye.

Thats how I cut my time down to under a minute. Everyone was telling me to put more liquid, tilt my head, etc etc. None of that worked for me until I got it done my own way.

 

[NsXMas]

I used to wear contacts, but now prefer to wear glasses. I had a friend who wore contacts, and they became infected and now he can never wear contacts again.

I prefer the ease of slipping on glasses, and the comfortable feel of having nothing in my eye.

 

[MF-DIF]

I prefer the ease of slipping on glasses, and the comfortable feel of having nothing in my eye.

The biggest issues of wearing my glasses are the uncomfort of the frame jamming my head when I lay on a pillow sideways & me not having prescription sunglasses during the day.

 

[NsXMas]

The biggest issues of wearing my glasses are the uncomfort of the frame jamming my head when I lay on a pillow sideways & me not having prescription sunglasses during the day.

I always take off my glasses when I nap or sleep. I also paid for prescription sunglasses so it's not an issue for me.

I was always too lazy to take off the contacts before bedtime so I slept with them on many times when I should have taken them out to clean. Slipping off glasses is much easier for me...

 

[MF-DIF]

I always take off my glasses when I nap or sleep.

I was always too lazy to take off the contacts before bedtime so I slept with them on many times when I should have taken them out to clean. Slipping off glasses is much easier for me...

I rarely fall asleep with my glasses on. Mainly im talking about laying on the couch watchin TV. I too am lazy and guilty of leaving my contacts in and falling asleep.

 

[Spinner]

I won't comment on how to put them in...many people here already suggested methods.

A few things I will recommend however are:

1) Always have a tiny bottle of contact fluid in your pocket....sometimes the contacts will dry out in dry, Air conditioned places such as office, car or the movies. Also if something does get in your eyes, you have a small emergency cleaning/moisturizing fluid with you.

2) Keep a spare set in your car (or atleast a pair of glasses). There have been a couple times when I lost the contacts I was wearing, or sometimes they come out when you rub your eyes. Nothing worse than to be stuck somewhere and not be able to drive because you can't see!!


I love contacts more than glasses, because with glasses, if I look either to the left or right, it goes all out of focus since the lenses are only in the front.... I hate driving with glasses!

 

[CokerRat]

Lots of good advice already posted. My key when wearing them was to ensure my eyes were moist first. A drop of Visine works great.

I had contacts for about 10 years on and off. I started with hard gas-permeable and then progressed to soft contacts as my eyes just couldn't continue to take the other kind. Eventually I gave up on them entirely. A year ago I got LASEK and it worked out great.

 

[DocL]

Thanks for all the help. I've finally won the battle of getting the contact lenses into my eyes. The best method has been a combination of what you all mentioned, plus I found a great instrument to help.

Here is a picture of my new technique!

 

[NSX_Dreamer]

Thanks for all the help. I've finally won the battle of getting the contact lenses into my eyes. The best method has been a combination of what you all mentioned, plus I found a great instrument to help.

Here is a picture of my new technique!

ROFLMAO!!!