Although we see a growing number of people opting for laser eye surgery as a means of improving their vision, most still prefer to depend on contact lenses. Years ago, options for contacts were limited to a hard material that wasn’t particularly comfortable and required quite a bit of maintenance. However the changes that have been made in the manufacturer of contact lenses make them an easy alternative to wearing glasses and with improved materials make them a pleasure to wear.

Interestingly though, while contact lenses are more comfortable and safe to wear, a number of people still feel a bit unnerved when it comes to putting them in their eyes. Typically however, people who turn to contact lenses find that within the first week they actually forget they have anything in their eyes and before long inserting and removing the contact lenses become second nature.

How To Insert Contact Lenses

The first step is to make sure your work surface is clean. After all, you do not want to accidentally transfer germs into your eyes. We also recommend placing a colored hand towel on the surface where you will be handling the contacts. This way if you were to drop a contact, it would be protected by the soft material and being against a colored background, easy to find.

Start by washing your hands thoroughly with an antibacterial soap and rinsing well so you do not transfer soap into your eyes. Since so many hand soaps contain high levels of oil which can cause clouding on the lens, we suggest you use quality liquid soap with some of the better choices including Ocusoft or Clear Ivory.

So that you do not mix the two contact lenses up, remove just one from the case at a time and rinse in fresh solution. A quick note here that will make the process easy is always to start with the same eye. In this way you will become accustomed to a routine, never confusing the two contacts. If you have concerns about the contact being wrong side out, look at the edges. If right side out the contact should resemble a salad bowl with the edges being rounded.

Be sure your eyes are wide open by holding the upper lid open. With the opposite hand balance the contact lens on the index or middle finger. Now gently insert the contact onto the colored portion of the eye. As the contact touches the eye, it will begin to adhere so all you need to do is remove your finger and the lens will stay in place.

Remember to stay relaxed, not forcing the contact lens into the eye. Additionally, once the contact is on the eye do not blink. Release the eyelid and look downward. You can at this point slowly close the eyes for a few seconds and then open them. The contact lens should be in place, providing you with clear vision.

Inserting and removing contact lenses takes practice so don’t give up. If you find you just can’t seem to get it right then head back to your eye doctor who will be able to guide you through the process.