Trouble Removing a Contact Lens?
Removing your own contact lenses is a simple procedure! It is very important however to know how to be able to do it properly. Removing soft contact lenses correctly can be a relatively simple task once you get over the anxiety of touching your own eye, but there are other important measures to keep in mind so as to ensure you don’t accidentally hurt yourself. Always remember to speak with an optometrist to find out if any possible additional recommendations or safeguards should be taken with the particular type of contact lenses that were prescribed to you.
In order to successfully remove contact lenses correctly, you are going need these items:
- Hand soap
- Saline solution
- A towel
Very important: Wash your hands! In order to prevent an infection, always be sure to wash your hands using antibacterial soap before ever making direct contact with your eyes. By washing your hands you are also helping to ensure that any potential foreign elements are not transmitted onto your eye and lenses, preventing damage to both.
Tip: Change your contacts over a clean and visible area. A towel is a great example. By changing your contacts over a clean towel, you are avoiding the risk of damaging them, should they accidentally be dropped. Changing your contact lenses over a towel can also make it a lot easier to find a dropped contact as well.
Now, place one or two drops of a saline solution in each one of your eyes before removing the contact lenses. In order to remove contact lenses properly and reduce damage to the lenses, it is always a good rule of thumb to make sure your eyes and the contact lenses are moist. Using the tip of your finger, gently slide the lens to the outside corner of your eye, and carefully lift the lens off of your eye.
Next comes proper storage. Many contacts can be simply thrown out after their first initial use, eliminating the need to clean and then store them in an appropriate container. It is very important to carefully read all the instructions that were provided with your contact lenses when you received them. If your contact lenses are reusable, make sure to always have them soaked in a clean solution inside a storage container designed specifically to house contact lenses. Making sure you store your contacts properly will keep contaminants from entering and damaging the lens. Also, remember to replace the solution every time they are stored.
Many distributors along with optometrists will also include directions along with more specific details concerning your particular brand and style. It is also extremely important to check with an optometrist in order to verify what cleaning method would be best for your particular type of contacts.
