The Horror of Contact Lenses

[Antiochian]

Yesterday I went to the eye doctor and have decided to try contact lenses. The doctor put them in for me after measuring my eye. That was an experience. The more he told me not to blink, the more I blinked. Not an easy job for him!

Then I watched his helper demonstrate putting them in and taking them out. She did it with ease, made it look so easy.

I took the lenses back out, no problem. Putting them back in was a nightmare. No matter how firmly I keep the eyelids open, I blink when the lense touches my eye, causing it to fold over and fall out. I have thick, long eyelashes, too, adding to the problem. I managed to finally get one in, only to have it fall out after I blinked a few times. I practiced more last night and some today, and cannot get the little nuisances in. My blinking reflex is strong, and I can only hope I overcome it with time.

Is my difficulty common, or am I just nuts? Putting something in my eye just feels icky... but I'm going to keep trying.

 

[Tarheeler]

It's normal, and it does take some time to get used to putting them in and wearing them.

 

[Willamena]

Practice touching your eye with a clean finger, without the lens. Touch closer and closer to the iris, and don't blink. Eventually your eye will relax. Just takes practice.

 

[beenie]

One of my daughters just got contacts a month ago (she's 10) and she had the same issue. Long eyelashes, and what she struggled with is putting her finger close enough to her eye that the contact wouldn't come back with the finger. Even when it got to her eye, it would fall out, just as you said.

They gave her a gel to practice with; it was a bit thick, so she could make a shape out of it and learn to touch her eye without pulling back.

My oldest daughter had no trouble, so it really is all about comfort with touching the eye. I'm glad I don't need corrective lenses, the thought of touching my eye makes me cringe. Good thing my daughters have my husband to walk them through the process.

You'll have it down in no time; don't get frustrated, it will only make it worse.

 

[Valjean]

Grab those 'thick, long eyelashes' in your fingers, hold the lid open, and insert the lens with your other hand.

 

[JacobEzra.]

My mother has contact lenses. And for some reason, ever since I was young, I have had an irrational fear of contact lenses. Maybe because I really hate anything in my eyes, like eye drops.

 

[Gentoo]

Putting something in my eye just feels icky... but I'm going to keep trying.

And that is why I do not have contact lenses.

 

[Revoltingest]

Contact lenses aren't for me.


Yeah, I'm a weakling & a sissy about my eyes.

 

[Antiochian]

Well, I'd truly despaired of ever being able to get those darn things in, and it just happened. I relaxed, looked directly into the mirror, and slowly inched the lenses towards my face and very gently let them latch onto the eyeballs. Success! Just put them in again a few minutes ago. These are colored lenses for aesthetic purposes, no prescription. I have both astigmatism and nearsightedness, so... Really wish I could wear Rx contacts, because glasses can be a pain!

Anyhow, I now ask myself why I made such a big deal out of this. The key was to RELAX! lol

 

[eyecareprofessional]

Keep practicing. I also had a hard time when I first tried it. I was exactly like you when i wore it during my first try! For me it is easy to do if I put drops in my eye right before so it is very wet and make sure the *edit* is wet to, then it doesn't like stick to your finger and not want to let go. If I don't do this then it takes so many tries to get in. It's easier if your other eye keep staring in the mirror looking at the eye you are putting your lens into.

 

[Alceste]

It's mind over matter. Try Seyorni's suggestion of holding your to eyelid up with one hand and sticking in the contact with the other. Also, once it's in, don't blink right away. Keep holding your eye open and look left, right, up and down to give the contact a chance to settle into place, then it shouldn't be disturbed by blinking.

Probably goes without saying, but make sure it's not inside out.

 

[Falvlun]

I hold my eye open with one hand and put the contact in with the other. I also put one drop of the saline solution in the contact before I put them in for lubrication. I hate putting them in dry.

You can touch the sclera- the white part- of your eye without causing any pain. It really is just the iris that freaks out. So if you ever have trouble removing them, get the contact over to the white part to make your job easier.