How to Put in Contact Lenses Easily

It can be tricky to know how to put in contact lenses, especially if you’ve just started using them or are nervous about touching your eyes.

This guide will show you a simple step-by-step process to help you put in and take out your contact lenses easily.

How to put in contact lenses

What you’ll need to put in contact lenses:

• Soap and water
• Fluff-free hand towel
• Mirror
• Contact lenses
• Good lighting

1. Wash Your Hands

Before handling your eye area, always wash your hands with soap and water and dry them thoroughly with a fluff-free hand towel.

Washing and drying your hands before applying contact lenses prevents dirt and bacteria from entering your eye and causing infection.

2. Retrieve the Contact Lens

Open the contact lens packet, then place the index finger on your dominant hand down into the lens solution and slide the contact lens out, using your thumb to support it. Keep the contact lens packet to the side for now.

Place the contact lens down onto the palm of your opposite hand, then sweep the contact lens up using your index finger. At this stage, the contact lens should be facing up in a bowl shape, ready to be placed on your eye.

3. Gently Hold Your Eye Open

Look into a mirror (preferably in a well-lit room) and use the hand not holding the contact lens to gently pull your eyelid up from above. Use the middle finger on the hand holding the lens to gently widen your bottom eyelid from below. Your finger with the contact lens should now be close to your eye and ready to apply.

4. Apply the Contact Lens

Gently move the finger with the contact lens toward the middle of your eye until it makes contact with your eyeball.

• Alternative method (from below): If you find it easier, you can put the contact lens in from the white space at the bottom of your eye while looking up. Once the lens makes contact with your eye, look forward again to help it latch on.
• Alternative method (from the side): You can also apply contact lenses from the white space on the outer edge of your eye. It can help to tilt your head slightly down and to the side so that the eye you’re attempting to put the contact lens in is tilted slightly upwards. Once the lens has made contact with the white outer edge of your eyeball, let go of the lens and look towards it to help it latch on.

If your contact lens dries out during this process, reintroduce some moisture by placing it back in its blister pack for a few seconds and trying again.

5. Adjust the Contact Lens Until Comfortable

Move your eyes around to remove air bubbles and help the contact lens adjust to your eye. Now repeat these steps for your other eye.

How to take out contact lenses

What you’ll need to take out contact lenses:

• Soap and water
• Fluff-free hand towel
• Mirror
• Good lighting
• Contact cleaning solution (optional)
• Contact conditioning solution or saline (optional)
• Contacts lens case (optional)

1. Wash Your Hands

Just as you should wash and dry your hands before putting in contacts, it’s also important to wash your hands when removing them. Use soap and water, then dry your hands thoroughly before moving on to the next step.

2. Gently Hold Your Eye Open

Look into a mirror and use your non-dominant hand to gently pull your lower lid down.

3. Remove Your Contact Lens

Tilt your chin slightly down and bring the index finger of your dominant hand to the lens. Press onto the lens gently with your index finger and slide it downwards to the lower white part of your eye.

Now, using the pads of your index finger and thumb, pinch the edges of the contact lens together and remove it from your eye. You can also slide the lens down to your lower lid and remove it from there.

4. Store or Dispose of Your Contact Lenses

After removing daily contact lenses, they can be disposed of in the bin or kept and brought into one of our friendly Opticare Opticians branches along with the blister packs and foils to be recycled.

If you’re using monthly contact lenses, clean them with your chosen contact lens cleaning solution and place them into your contact lens case, soaked in fresh solution, until the next use.

Don’t worry if you can’t put in or remove your contact lenses on your first try. With practise, you’ll become a confident contact lens wearer in no time!