Easy Way to Insert Contacts

Whether you're a first-time user of contact lenses or you've been using them for years, you probably know that putting in contacts can be time-consuming and tricky. Just one slip and a poke of the eye can cause minor irritation. By taking it slow and knowing what you're doing, you can easily insert contact lenses.

Preparation

• First, prep the contacts, your hands and the surface you're working on. Clean the area you're working around or work over a clean towel, just in case you drop your contacts. Wash your hands with hot water and anti-bacterial soap. This will prevent the spread of germs and bacteria from your hands to your eyes. Avoid touching anything and let your hands air dry. Use contact solution to clean your contacts so that they don't feel grimy. Have a mirror available, preferably a magnified mirror, so you can better see what you're doing.

Placement

• Iif you're uncomfortable or inexperienced, practice touching your eye . When you're ready, pick up the right contact lens with your right pointer finger. Be careful not to slice or scratch the lens with your fingernail. Have only one contact out at a time so you don't get confused.

  Face a mirror. Keeping the lens balanced on the tip of your finger, use the middle finger on your right hand to pull down your lower eyelid and align the contact with your right eye. Bring your chin down to your chest so your eyes are looking up toward the mirror. Aim the lens to be placed right above the lower lid of the eye, and gently press it to the eye, making sure it keeps its shape. You may have to blink a few times to align the contact with your iris. If the contact folds in when you push it to the eye, pop it back into shape and clean it, then try again. Make sure the lens isn't inside out. If the lens resembles a bowl with round edges, the contact is in the correct position. If the lens edges resemble a plate, with the edges beginning to flatten, the lens position is incorrect.
  Do the same for your left eye, but using your left hand. When you're finished with your left eye, clean out the contact case with hot water and fill it with new solution.

  Using a mirror is especially helpful when inserting contacts, but eventually you won't need one. Practice makes perfect, so keep trying.