Contact Lens Tutorial

According to a 2008 release by Johnson and Johnson Vision Care, 34 million people in the U.S. wear contact lenses. There are many different types of contact lenses to choose from, and you don't have to worry about glare as you do with eyeglasses. Contact lenses provide an invisible way for people to improve their eyesight to functional levels, however, they do require some specific knowledge in order to use them safely. Following the correct procedures ensures that using contact lenses is safe and painless.

Things You'll Need

• Contact lenses
• Contact lens case
• Contact lens cleaner

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Instructions

• 1

  Wash your hands properly before you do anything else. You should wash your hands with a mild soap. Dry your hands with a towel that won't leave lint behind. Avoid using paper towels that can leave fibers and debris, which can get on the lenses.

• 2

  Clean your contact lenses with a cleaning solution before you try to put them in. Only use an approved contact lens cleaning solution. Never try to clean a lens with ordinary water. For many contact lenses, a generic cleaning solution from the pharmacy will work, but certain types of lenses require specific cleaning solutions. Always ask your eye doctor when you receive contact lenses exactly how to clean them, and follow his instructions.

• 3

  Verify that your contact lens is the right way before you insert it. Contacts can flip inside out when you are cleaning them. Check the lens by placing it on your fingertip. It should form an even cup shape. If the outside edge of the contact lens flares out, then the lens is inside out. You need to flip it the other way, and probably need to clean it again briefly, before you can insert it.

• 4

  Insert your lenses, but make sure that you put the correct lens in the correct eye. There will be differences between your right and left lenses, so make sure that you put the right one in the right eye because it is important. This is why cases are clearly labeled with a right and left chamber for storing the lenses. There are many different methods for actually inserting the lenses, but a common method is to use the middle finger of the right hand to pull down the lower right eyelid while holding the lens on the index finger. Use the left hand to hold up the upper eyelid. Then, gently set the lens on the eye. Don't press hard, just relax and let it settle into place. Repeat with the opposite hands for the left eye.

• 5

  Clean your hands before you remove your contact lenses. Use the same method that you use for inserting the lens to hold your eye open. Look up, and carefully slide the lens down on your eye, and then pinch it very lightly with your thumb and index finger. It should come out easily.

• 6

  Clean your lens again before you put it back in its case. Double check and make sure that you put it in the right side of the case to avoid problems later on.