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Home > Eye Care >Contact Lens Placement and Removal
Contact Lens Placement and Removal
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Preparing The Lens For Wearing
It is essential that you learn and use good hygienic methods in the care and handling of your new lenses. Cleanliness is the first and most important aspect of proper contact lens care. In particular, your hands should be clean and free of any foreign substances when you handle your lenses.
The procedures are:• Always wash your hands thoroughly with a mild soap, rinse completely, and dry with a lint-free towel before touching your lenses.
• Avoid the use of soaps containing cold cream, lotion, or oily cosmetics before handling your lenses, since these substances may come into contact with the lenses and interfere with successful wearing.
• Handle your lenses with your fingertips, and be careful to avoid contact with fingernails. It is helpful to keep your fingernails short and smooth.
Start off correctly by getting into the habit of always using proper hygienic procedures so that they become automatic.• Develop the habit of always working with the same lens first to avoid mixups.
• Remove the lens from its storage case and examine it to be sure that it is moist, clean, clear, and free of any nicks or tears. If the lens appears damaged, do not use it. Use the next lens in the multipack.
Verify that the lens is not turned inside out by placing it on your forefinger and checking its profile. The lens should assume a natural, curved, bowl-like shape (Fig. A). If the lens edges tend to point outward, the lens is inside out (Fig. B). Another method is to gently squeeze the lens between the thumb and forefinger. The edges should turn inward. If the lens is inside out, the edges will turn slightly outward.
Placement of Contact Lenses
Remember, start with your right eye.
Once you have opened the lens package, removed and examined the lens, follow these steps to apply the lens to your eye:
1. Place the lens on the tip of your forefinger. BE SURE THE LENS IS CORRECTLY ORIENTED (see "Handling The Lenses").
2. Place the middle finger of the same hand close to your lower eyelashes and pull down the lower lid.
3. Use the forefinger or middle finger of the other hand to lift the upper lid.
4. Place the lens on the eye.
5. Gently release the lids and blink. The lens will center automatically.
6. Use the same technique when inserting the lens for your left eye.
Note: If you need to rinse the lenses before you insert it into your eye, use only fresh sterile saline solution. Never use tap water.
There are other methods of lens placement. If the above method is difficult for you, your eye care practitioner will provide you with an alternate method.
Note: If after placement of the lens, your vision is blurred, check for the following:
The lens is not centered on the eye (see "Centering the Lens", next in this booklet).
If the lens is centered, remove the lens (see "Removing the Lens") and check for the following:
a. Cosmetics or oils on the lens. Dispose of the lens and insert a fresh new lens.
b. The lens is on the wrong eye.
c. The lens is inside-out (it would also not be as comfortable as normal).
If you find that your vision is still blurred after checking the above possibilities, remove both lenses and consult your eye care practitioner.
If a lens becomes less comfortable than when it was first inserted or if it is markedly uncomfortable upon insertion, remove the lens immediately and contact your eye care practitioner.
After you have successfully inserted your lenses, you should ask yourself:
- How do the lenses feel on my eyes?
- How do my eyes look?
- Do I see well?
If your examination shows any problems IMMEDIATELY REMOVE YOUR LENSES AND CONTACT YOUR EYE CARE PRACTITIONER.
Centering the Lens
A lens which is on the cornea will very rarely be displaced onto the white part of the eye during wear. This, however, can occur if insertion and removal procedures are not performed properly. To center a lens, follow either of these procedures:
a. Close your eyelids and gently massage the lens into place through the closed lids
OR
b. Gently manipulate the off-centered lens onto the cornea while the eye is opened, using finger pressure on the edge of the upper lid or lower lid.
Removing the Lens
Always remove the same lens first.
a. Wash, rinse and dry your hands thoroughly.
CAUTION: Always be sure the lens is on the cornea before attempting to remove it. Determine this by covering the other eye. If vision is blurred, the lens is either on the white part of the eye or it is not on the eye at all. To locate the lens, inspect the upper area of the eye by looking down into a mirror while pulling the upper lid up. Then, inspect the lower area by pulling the lower lid down.
b. There are two recommended methods of lens removal: the Pinch Method and the Forefinger and Thumb Method. You should follow the method that was recommended by your eye care practitioner.
Pinch Method
1. Look up, slide the lens to the lower part of the eye using the forefinger.
2. Gently pinch the lens between the thumb and forefinger.
3. Remove the lens.
Forefinger and Thumb Method
1. Place your hand or towel under your eye to catch the lens.
2. Place your forefinger on the center of the upper lid and your thumb on the center of the lower lid.
3. Press in and force a blink. The lens should fall onto your hand or the towel.
Once the lens is removed, DISCARD the lens.
Note: The lens may come out but remain on the eyelid, finger or thumb.
4. Remove the other lens by following the same procedure.
Note: Pinching the lens between the thumb and forefinger is not harmful, provided the fingernails do not contact the lens. Some people find a mirror helpful when removing the lens.
5. Follow the required lens care procedures described under the heading, "Caring for Your Lenses
(Cleaning, Rinsing, Disinfecting, Storage and Rewetting/ Lubricating)".
Note: If these methods of removing your lenses are difficult for you, your eye care practitioner will provide you with an alternate method.
If you have vision or eye health concerns, and would like answers, please contact Good Eye Optometry for an appointment.
Good Eye Optometry offer a full range of optometric services including comprehensive eye examinations, dilations, contact lens fittings, diagnosis / treatment / prescriptions for various ocular diseases, consultation / co-management for LASIK and other refractive surgeries.
Our highly trained staff is dedicated to accommodating your needs to the best of our ability and making your visit as pleasant as possible. Our facility also offers an extensive selection of designer eyeglass frames, sunglasses, prescription sunglasses, contact lenses, and other eye care products for men, women and/or kids. We carry over a thousand designer optical frames such as Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, Salt, Barton Perreira, Alain Mikli, Missoni, Gianfranco Ferre, Tom Ford, Lafont, Gotti, Ray ban, Oko by Oko, Evolution Art, Seraphin, Dolce and Gabanna.
Located at Brentwood, Los Angeles , CA, our facility is a only short drive away from Beverly Hills, Westwood, Santa Monica, Sunset, West Los Angeles, UCLA, Sunset, Beverly Glen, San Vicente, Bundy, Wilshire and Pacific Palisades or zip codes 90025, 90024, 90403, 90077, 90272 and 90404.
We accept major insurances - VSP, Eye Med, Medical Eye Services, Humana, Healthnet, Health-net, Optum Health, Davis Vision, Spectera, Cigna, Blue Cross and Blue Shield.
