Removing contact lenses is a regular activity for 30 million Americans, the number of people the Contact Lens Council says use contacts to correct their vision. For many people the direct eye contact required to remove contact lenses can be nerve-wracking, but it's possible to remove contact lenses easily. Becoming comfortable with the process of taking out your contact lenses is important, since doing it incorrectly could lead to eye infections or other eye health problems.
Step 1
Wash your hands with soap and water, rinse them thoroughly and dry them with a towel. Make sure your hands are clean any time you touch your eyes.
Step 2
Check to make sure your contacts are still in your eyes: Close one eye at a time to check your vision. If one eye looks blurry or strange, your contact may have fallen out.
Step 3
Standing in front of a well-lighted mirror, look up so that you can see the white parts of your eyes below the iris.
Step 4
Use a clean finger to gently slide the lens so that it is on the white part of your eye. You may notice a funny sensation on your eye, but keep your finger pressed lightly on the lens.
Step 5
Use your finger and thumb to gently pinch the lens and lift it from your eye.
Step 6
Clean the lens as you've been instructed by your eye doctor, usually by squirting cleaning solution into the palm of your hand and rubbing the contact lens in the solution for about 5 to 10 seconds on each side, then spraying the lens with another stream of cleaning solution. Place the lens in its case.
Step 7
Repeat the process to remove the lens from your other eye.
Tips and Warnings
- Remove your contact lenses anytime you will be doing something that brings you into contact with water, including showering or swimming. Rinse, clean and dry your contact lens case every time you're returning your lenses to it, since your lens case can harbor bacterial growth that could damage or infect your eyes.
- Check with your eye doctor immediately if you notice redness, discomfort or vision changes in your eyes, as these symptoms could signal an infection or serious eye problem.
Things You'll Need
- Contact lens case
- Contact lens cleaning solution
