How to Remove Stuck Contact Lenses
Wash your hands., Stay calm., Locate the lens., Moisten the lens., Massage your eyelid., Change your approach., Lift your eyelid., See your eye doctor.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Wash your hands.
Your hands should always be clean whenever inserting or removing your contact lenses.Your hands carry around thousands of bacteria, including fecal bacteria, just from the things you touch every day.
Wash your hands with soap and warm water before touching your eyes to prevent infection.For stuck lenses, washing your hands is even more important, because you'll likely be touching your eye area for a longer period of time.
The more time your fingers spend in contact with your eyes, the more likely you are to spread contamination.
Do not dry the palm or fingertips of the hand that is going to touch your eye.
Otherwise, you might get towel fibers or lint in your eye. -
Step 2: Stay calm.
Panicking or getting overly anxious about the situation will just make it more difficult to remove the lenses.
If you feel anxious, take a few deep breaths before you continue.Don’t worry! Your contact lens cannot get stuck behind your eyeball.
The conjunctiva, a mucous membrane in front of your eye, and muscles around your eye called the rectus muscles make this impossible.Getting a soft contact lens stuck in your eye is not a serious health risk, unless you leave it for a long period of time.
While it may be irritating, it is unlikely to damage your eye.However, a rigid lens can cause a cornea abrasion if it is broken and that can lead to an infection.
If you've made several unsuccessful attempts to remove the lens, take a break from trying for a bit.
Sit down for a while and relax. , In many cases, contact lenses get stuck because they have slid out of their proper place over the cornea.
If this is the case for you, you'll need to find the lens before you can remove it.
Close your eyes and relax your eyelids.
You should be able to feel where the lens has gone.
If you can't feel it under your eyelid, gently touch the lid with your fingers and see if you can locate it.If the lens has moved to the corner of your eye, you may be able find it just by looking in the mirror.Try looking in the opposite direction of the lens.
For example, if the lens feels like it's in the right corner of your eye, look left.
Or, if the lens feels like it’s stuck in the bottom part of your eye, look up.
The lens may become visible.
If you can't feel or see the lens, it is possible it has fallen out of your eye.Put your finger at the top of your eyelid (near your eyebrow) and pull up to hold your eyelid open.
This may help you see the contact lens better.
Keep in mind that if you look down with your eyes while pulling up on the eyelid, it paralyzes the orbicularis oculi muscle and you can't squeeze it shut until you look up again. , Lenses can get stuck because they have dried out.
Moisten the lens with saline solution.
Apply the saline solution directly to the lens, if possible.
Wait for a few minutes to allow the lens to hydrate and soften.If the lens is stuck under your eyelid or in the corner of your eye, the added moisture may help it float back into its proper place, where it will be easier to remove.Often, moistening the lens will allow you to remove it through conventional methods.
Blink several times or close your eyes for a few seconds, then try to remove the lens again., If the lens remains stuck or trapped under the eyelid, close your eyes and gently massage the lids with your fingertips.If the lens is still out of place, try to push it over the cornea.
If your lens is stuck under your eyelid, it may help to look down while massaging the eyelid., If the lens is in its proper place but still won't come out, try using a different method of removing your contact lens.
Most people pinch their lenses out, but you can also try removing them by placing a finger on each eyelid and applying gentle pressure as you blink.You can use either the index finger or the middle finger of each hand.
With the finger on your upper lid, press straight down.
With the finger on your lower lid, press straight up.
The lens should pull away from the eye and be easy to remove. , If the lens is still stuck and you think it may be lodged under your eyelid, try gently lifting the lid away from your eye and turning it inside out.To do this, use a cotton tip and press down on the middle of the eyelid while pulling the eyelashes forward away from the eye.
Tip your head backward.
You should be able to see the contact lens if it is stuck under the lid.
Carefully pull it out from underneath your eyelid.
You may need the help of a friend or family member to do this., If all else fails, or if your eye becomes extremely red or irritated, go to your local doctor, optometrist, or hospital.
They can remove the lens without causing further damage to your eye.If you believe you have scratched or otherwise damaged your eye in attempting to remove the lens, contact your eye doctor immediately.
You should see a doctor about possible damage whether you have successfully removed the lens or not. -
Step 3: Locate the lens.
-
Step 4: Moisten the lens.
-
Step 5: Massage your eyelid.
-
Step 6: Change your approach.
-
Step 7: Lift your eyelid.
-
Step 8: See your eye doctor.
Detailed Guide
Your hands should always be clean whenever inserting or removing your contact lenses.Your hands carry around thousands of bacteria, including fecal bacteria, just from the things you touch every day.
Wash your hands with soap and warm water before touching your eyes to prevent infection.For stuck lenses, washing your hands is even more important, because you'll likely be touching your eye area for a longer period of time.
The more time your fingers spend in contact with your eyes, the more likely you are to spread contamination.
Do not dry the palm or fingertips of the hand that is going to touch your eye.
Otherwise, you might get towel fibers or lint in your eye.
Panicking or getting overly anxious about the situation will just make it more difficult to remove the lenses.
If you feel anxious, take a few deep breaths before you continue.Don’t worry! Your contact lens cannot get stuck behind your eyeball.
The conjunctiva, a mucous membrane in front of your eye, and muscles around your eye called the rectus muscles make this impossible.Getting a soft contact lens stuck in your eye is not a serious health risk, unless you leave it for a long period of time.
While it may be irritating, it is unlikely to damage your eye.However, a rigid lens can cause a cornea abrasion if it is broken and that can lead to an infection.
If you've made several unsuccessful attempts to remove the lens, take a break from trying for a bit.
Sit down for a while and relax. , In many cases, contact lenses get stuck because they have slid out of their proper place over the cornea.
If this is the case for you, you'll need to find the lens before you can remove it.
Close your eyes and relax your eyelids.
You should be able to feel where the lens has gone.
If you can't feel it under your eyelid, gently touch the lid with your fingers and see if you can locate it.If the lens has moved to the corner of your eye, you may be able find it just by looking in the mirror.Try looking in the opposite direction of the lens.
For example, if the lens feels like it's in the right corner of your eye, look left.
Or, if the lens feels like it’s stuck in the bottom part of your eye, look up.
The lens may become visible.
If you can't feel or see the lens, it is possible it has fallen out of your eye.Put your finger at the top of your eyelid (near your eyebrow) and pull up to hold your eyelid open.
This may help you see the contact lens better.
Keep in mind that if you look down with your eyes while pulling up on the eyelid, it paralyzes the orbicularis oculi muscle and you can't squeeze it shut until you look up again. , Lenses can get stuck because they have dried out.
Moisten the lens with saline solution.
Apply the saline solution directly to the lens, if possible.
Wait for a few minutes to allow the lens to hydrate and soften.If the lens is stuck under your eyelid or in the corner of your eye, the added moisture may help it float back into its proper place, where it will be easier to remove.Often, moistening the lens will allow you to remove it through conventional methods.
Blink several times or close your eyes for a few seconds, then try to remove the lens again., If the lens remains stuck or trapped under the eyelid, close your eyes and gently massage the lids with your fingertips.If the lens is still out of place, try to push it over the cornea.
If your lens is stuck under your eyelid, it may help to look down while massaging the eyelid., If the lens is in its proper place but still won't come out, try using a different method of removing your contact lens.
Most people pinch their lenses out, but you can also try removing them by placing a finger on each eyelid and applying gentle pressure as you blink.You can use either the index finger or the middle finger of each hand.
With the finger on your upper lid, press straight down.
With the finger on your lower lid, press straight up.
The lens should pull away from the eye and be easy to remove. , If the lens is still stuck and you think it may be lodged under your eyelid, try gently lifting the lid away from your eye and turning it inside out.To do this, use a cotton tip and press down on the middle of the eyelid while pulling the eyelashes forward away from the eye.
Tip your head backward.
You should be able to see the contact lens if it is stuck under the lid.
Carefully pull it out from underneath your eyelid.
You may need the help of a friend or family member to do this., If all else fails, or if your eye becomes extremely red or irritated, go to your local doctor, optometrist, or hospital.
They can remove the lens without causing further damage to your eye.If you believe you have scratched or otherwise damaged your eye in attempting to remove the lens, contact your eye doctor immediately.
You should see a doctor about possible damage whether you have successfully removed the lens or not.
About the Author
Sophia Lewis
Specializes in breaking down complex cooking topics into simple steps.
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