How do you remove contact lenses without damaging the contact or hurting your eye in the process? There are some basic techniques to follow when removing your contacts. First, it depends on what type of contact lens you have. Do you wear, what are called, soft lenses? Those are lenses that are made of soft, pliable plastics. The types of lenses that fall into this category are weekly wear and daily wear disposable lenses among others. The other type of contact is the hard lens. Those are what are known as Rigid Gas Permeable, or GP, for short.
First, let’s go over the basic techniques when dealing with any style of contact lens. Always have clean, dry hands and a clean work area whenever you are preparing to touch your contact lenses. Do not use oily or perfumed soaps before handling your contacts and use lotion or hand cream only after you are finished with your lenses. Keeping your lenses as clean as possible will ensure they last a very long time. In addition to that, it may be necessary, especially if you are new to wearing contacts, that you keep your fingernails trimmed fairly short and filed of any sharp or torn edges. It is very easy to tear a contact in the early days when you are still learning.
If you wear soft contacts, the best way to remove it is to open your eye very wide. If your eye keeps closing before you can get the contact, then use your other hand to hold your eye open. Once your eye is open, look away to the side or up to at the ceiling. Use your thumb and forefinger to gently “pinch” the contact from your eye. If your eyes are dry after a long day and the contact feels a little adhered to your eye, use some re-wetting drops first and let your eye rest for a minute. Try again and it should fold up and remove easily from your eye. Simply switch hands and remove the other contact from your other eye.
Some say that removing hard contacts or Gas Permeable Contacts is easier than removing soft contact lenses. Simply hold your cupped hand under your eye, with your other hand pull at the outside corner of your eye toward your ear. Now blink and the contact should pop right out into your awaiting palm.
Always store your lenses in properly labeled contact lens cases. Make sure that the lens cases are cleaned daily and filled with the appropriate lens cleaning and disinfecting solution. Tomorrow, they will be ready for another fun-filled day.