Getting a contact lens out of your eye requires steady hands and attention to hygiene. The eye is prone to infection while wearing contact lenses. Contamination of the eye most often happens while inserting and removing contact lenses. It is important to avoid rubbing your eye while there is a contact lens inside it. This can fold the contact lens in half under your eyelid which could scratch your cornea.
Step 1
Scrub your fingers thoroughly with soap and water. Be sure to rinse them well. Dirty hands are the number one cause of eye infections for contact lens wearers. This is an essential first step every time you take contacts out of your eye.
Step 2
Clear the area in front of you. When taking a contact lens out of your eye, it is common to drop it. If you have a lot of stuff in front of you it will be difficult to find a dropped contact lens. It is best to stand in front of a clear bathroom counter. If you are standing in front of a sink, close the drain.
Step 3
Stare directly into a mirror at the eye with the contact lens. You need a clear view of your eyeball, so be sure that you are in a well lit area. Move within one foot of the mirror.
Step 4
Moisturize your eye. Add a few drops of multi-purpose solution or rewetting drops. If you don't have either one with you, blink your eyes several time in a row. Your eyes will self moisturize.
Step 5
Widen your eyes as much as possible. This gives you the greatest access to your eyeball and the contact lens. Your wont be open very long, so don't worry about blinking.
Step 6
Apply pressure with one finger to the cheek bone beneath the eye with the contact lens. Pull the skin beneath the eye down. This will help you keep your eye open and discourage accidental blinking.
Step 7
Reach in slowly and pull out the contact lens. Position your thumb and index finger on opposite sides of the cornea. When you feel your fingers touch your eyeball, pinch them gently together. The contact lens should fold between your thumb and index finger. Pull your hand away from your eye.
Step 8
Blink quickly and add more multi-purpose solution if you can't find the contact lens. Sometimes contact lenses fold in half and hide beneath the eyelid. This is both painful and dangerous. Don't panic. Fast blinking and lots of liquid usually squeezes it out. Just be careful since the contact lens might fall on the ground when it is ejected from your eye.
Things You'll Need
- contact lens
- mirror
- multi-purpose solution
- soap
- water
