3 replies to this topic

[gerhard]

Hello!

I have been meaning to switch from glasses to contact lenses for some time. I have spent a few mornings in the optician's office, trying to put them in and take them out.

I've watched a few instruction videos on youtube and read a few guides, but still I can't seem to get my eye to stay open wide enough - my blink reflex takes over.
Also, I have naturally small eyes, with a heavy brow, and so even with my fingers pulling my lids apart I still find the opening very small in comparison to the lens.

Have you any further suggestions to help me get the lenses in - and to take them out too?

Thank you.

[trance]

Clean your hands and face. Then wet the tip of your finger, and just practice touching your eyeball with your finger gently (without the contact lens) while looking in a mirror, until you overcome your blink reflex ... it may take a few days of practice, but it will come.

Once you can just simply touch your eyeball with the wet tip of your finger, placing the contact lens on, and taking it off, will be no problem.

[forever freedom]

It just takes time and practice.. it was very hard for me in the beginning too.. it hurted because once i put it, since i didn't have practice, i couldn't take it off easily and those who have experience with it know that often we need to put it and take it off several times before it stays on the eye well and comfortably.


Really.. just practice and practice. It will hurt and it will be unpleasant but once you and your eyes are used to it, it won't bother you anymore. At least that's how i adapted.. no particular technique, just trial and error. I've been using it for 7 years now.

If it helps, there's one thing my doctor told me that i remember, about taking it out. He said that i should think of it as paper, to get a better image of what sort of "squeezing" needs to be done to push it out.

Trance has a good technique for putting it in. Getting the eye to be comfortable with a lot of contact is the most important part.

[lunarsolarpower]

Clean your hands and face. Then wet the tip of your finger, and just practice touching your eyeball with your finger gently (without the contact lens) while looking in a mirror, until you overcome your blink reflex ... it may take a few days of practice, but it will come.

Or more than a month in some cases. I remember the first time I put in a contact and it disappeared up under the upper eyelid somewhere. I was fairly concerned and set about searching the dorm for someone who wore contacts and would know what to do. By the time I found somebody the contact had floated back down and I was able to retrieve it. There is an amazing difference in the comfort level of contacts between different brands and even different models.

I recommend using a drop of sterile saline solution to practice touching your eye every day. Once you've got it down you can set up another appointment with your optometrist / ophthalmologist to get your prescription.