Handling Contact Lenses- Top Tips:
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DO wash your hands anytime you handle your contact lenses. Clean, dry hands are necessary for handling lenses, so that you don’t risk getting any foreign bacteria on them, which could irritate your eyes.
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DO ensure that your nails are trimmed, and that there’s nothing else on your hands or fingers that could damage the lenses and/or your eye.
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DO your best to be gentle with the lenses. Contact lenses can be very fragile, especially if they’re on the thinner side. Being gentle makes sure that you don’t risk ripping or damaging the lenses.
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DO always use eye-safe products to clean and store your lenses. For instance, contacts should only ever be cleaned using eye-safe contact lens solution, and they should only be stored inside sterile contact lens cases.
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DO make sure the lenses are the right way round- inverted lenses may irritate your eyes. Holding the lens on your index finger, check that the lens has a soft U-shape, with the lip pointed upwards. If the lip is pointed downward, or the lens has a sharp V-shape, it may be upside down or inside out.
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DO soak your lenses in eye-safe solution for at least 2 hours before your first wear.
What to Avoid When Wearing Contact Lenses:
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DON’T wear your lenses for longer than 8 hours, or overnight.
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DON’T wear your lenses for longer than their stated duration, or past their lens expiry date. This information can be found on your contact lens packaging.
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DON’T let your lenses dry out- if you notice that they’re soaking up the eye-safe solution quickly, feel free to top it up with more.
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DON’T let your contact lenses come into contact with any harmful bacteria. This includes all foreign substances, even water- don’t wear your lenses in the shower or bath, and don’t rinse the lenses with water. You should only ever use fresh eye-safe solution to clean or soak contact lenses.
Want a hand with the DOs and DON’Ts of lens wear? Check out our handy contact lens accessories below, from essentials like contact lens solution and contact lens cases to helpful tools like our silicone inserter wands.
How to Insert Lenses:
Wondering how to put in contact lenses for the first time? Here’s our step-by-step guide. You can also refer back to the diagram above if you need more help.
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First, ensure that your hands are clean and that your lenses have been soaking in contact solution for at least 2 hours.
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Hold your lens on your index finger, lip facing upward. Ensure that the lens is the right way round (with a soft U-shape instead of a sharp V-shape).
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With your other hand, hold your eyelid gently open.
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Place the contact lens onto your eyeball, and allow it to settle into place.
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Feel free to blink a few times, and let the lens adjust.
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If the placement isn’t right, you can always take the lens out and try again. Take your time; you’ll be a contact lens pro in no time!
How to Remove Contact Lenses:
Now it’s time to learn how to take out contacts. Make sure you check out our diagram before wearing lenses for the first time. Here are the step-by-step instructions:
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Wash your hands and dry them, making sure that there is no bacteria or debris left on your fingers.
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With one hand, gently lift your eyelid.
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With your other hand, use your index finger and thumb to pinch the lens gently out of your eye.
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Don’t worry if you don’t get it right away- just try again, making sure you’re gentle with your eye. You can always blink a few times to get the contact lens back in place.
And there you have it! From inserting your lenses to removing them, you should have all the tools you need to wear contact lenses for the very first time!
If you’re looking for other contact lens information, like how to troubleshoot discomfort or how to use contact lens solution, you can check out our other care guides below. And if you’re ever having trouble with your lenses and can’t find the answer on our website, feel free to message our customer service team, who are always here to help!
