Inserting the Lenses
Scoop the contact gently out of the case with the edge of your nail. Try not to physically touch the center of the contact with your nail, or you may scratch it by accident. Instead, focus on coaxing and sliding the lens out of the package or case and then pinching it with your fingertips. Try not to touch or handle your contacts with your nails directly, if you can.
Hold open your upper and lower eyelids with 2 fingers. Take your pointer finger and lift your upper lash line. Then, pull your lower lash line down with your middle finger, creating a wide space where you can easily fit your contact. Focus on pulling with your fingertips, and not your nails.
Balance the lens along the side of your opposite fingertip. Place your contact lens along the side of your finger or your fingertip. Check that the lens is a dome shape, so it can fit easily over your eye. Since your 1 hand is busy holding your eyelids open, you’ll be using your opposite hand and fingertip to insert your lens.
Center and insert the lens in the middle of your eye. With your eyelids still pulled open, guide and place the lens in the center of your eye. Protect both your eye and your lens by keeping your lens on your finger instead of your nail.
Blink several times so the lens stays in place. Keep blinking until your contact feels like it’s centered and balanced correctly. Focus on doing thorough, full blinks, which will help your contact stay put.
Pinch and pull out the lens to remove the lens. Place your pointer finger beneath your upper lash line, and your middle finger above your lower lash line. Pinch your fingers on top of the contact lens until you get a good grip. At this point, gently pull and lift the lens from your eye. As always, do your best to touch the lens with your fingertips instead of your nails. If you’re having trouble removing a lens on your own, try removing it with tweezers designed for contacts.
Practicing Sanitary Habits
Wash your hands before touching your contacts. Resist the temptation to toss your contacts in with dirty or otherwise unwashed hands. Clean your hands with water and mild soap for 20 seconds before handling your contacts. Since you’ll be touching your eyelids with your bare hands, you don’t want to introduce any unwanted germs to your body. Dry your hands off with a lint-free towel so your fingers won’t transfer lint to your contacts. Don’t forget about your nails, too! Take some time wash beneath your long nails to get rid of the germs hiding there.
Insert your contacts before applying any makeup. If you’re getting ready for a night out or preparing a costume, put your contacts in before reaching for your favorite cosmetics. Be gentle as you apply the makeup, and don’t get any cosmetics inside your eye. Before you remove your makeup, pull out your contacts first. Choose an oil-free, hypoallergenic makeup remover that’ll be easy on your eyes. Remove your lenses and clean them with contact solution immediately if you get any makeup on them. It’s easy to tear up when you’re putting in contacts, so you don’t want your makeup to run!
Clean your lens with some solution if you drop it. It’s perfectly understandable if you lose your grip on your lens, especially if you’re not used to handling your contacts with your long nails. Grab a contact solution that’s designed specifically for contacts, and not just labeled as a saline solution. Rinse off the lens thoroughly before putting it back into your eye. Unfortunately, generic saline solution won’t disinfect your lenses. Avoid using water to clean off your contact lenses.
Store your lenses in a case if you can wear them more than once. Keep a contact lens case near your vanity, or wherever you usually put in your contacts. Store your lenses in this case with some fresh contact solution whenever you’re not wearing them, so they stay clean and disinfected. Try to get in the habit of washing out your lens case with contact lens solution every few days or weeks. After 3 months, consider replacing your lens case altogether.
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