If you’ve been wearing eyeglasses for a long time, you’d understand that the joy of switching to contact lenses is truly boundless. Yes, eyeglasses do have some perks of their own, however, the thought of not having to take off your glasses each time you strike a pose can bring immense joy. Simultaneously, it also helps boost your confidence and you don’t have to keep worrying about your contacts falling out or breaking like that with eyeglasses.
But did you know that contact lenses come with their own set of anxieties, especially for first-time users? Most first-timers panic and give up but we’re not here to scare you. Although, we are here to show you how to do it the right way. We can assure you that once you’ve mastered the rules, there’s no turning back. In fact, you’ll understand why millions of people around the world have ditched their most-loved pair of eyeglasses in favor of contact lenses.
Your beginners guide to contact lenses and how to wear them correctly
Wash Your Hands Thoroughly
Keeping your hands squeaky clean before you get started and before taking off your lenses is mandatory. Avoid using oily or heavily scented cleaners to wash your hands. Since lenses tend to cling on a little more to wet hands you need to dry your hands well using a lint-free towel. This step prevents any bacterial transmission through tap water and lint.
Practice How To Put On Your Contacts
Wearing contacts for the first time may seem a little daunting, especially if you’re someone who blinks their eyes a million times while putting in eye drops. However, just FYI, contact lenses are super easy to use, all you need is a little practice. And practice makes a man perfect, right?
Here’s how you do it:
First, wash your hands.
Remove one of the lenses from the storage case, then gently slide it into your hand. Use your fingertips instead of your nails, to handle the lens.
Rinse the lens well using a contact-lens solution (as prescribed by your eye care professional). If at all you drop a lens, rinse it thoroughly with the solution once again before putting it in your eye.
Place the contact lens on the tip of either your index or middle finger (dominant hand). Make sure that you look for torn or damaged spots on the lens before you put them in.
Check to see if the lens is right-side-out. If the lens forms a bowl and the edges turn up, you’re doing it right but if the lens looks like a lid with the edges turning out you need to reverse the lens.
Now, hold your upper eyelid open using your non-dominant hand and hold down your lower eyelid using the middle/ring finger of your dominant hand. Make sure that you look into the mirror while you do so.
Place the lens into your eyes and look in front of you or at the ceiling while doing this.
Shut your eyes slowly and roll your eyes a couple of times, this helps the lens settle in properly. Open your eyes and blink gently a few times. Look into the mirror to see if the lens shows up in the center of your eye or not.
If the lens is inserted the right way and if it is centered correctly, your eyes should feel comfortable and your vision should be perfectly clear. But if you feel any form of discomfort or your vision appears blurry, you will need to take them out and try again.
Repeat the process with the second lens.
Removing Your Lenses
Just as putting in your contact lenses requires a lot of patience and practice, removing them out too requires the same amount of dedication. Don’t get intimidated by the number of steps you need to take, these are just precautionary steps to prevent your eyes from any kind of infection.
Here’s how you do it:
Firstly, you need to wash and dry your hands well.
Now pull down your lower lid and look upwards.
Now gently move your lens to the white of your eye.
Lastly, using your thumb and index finger, lightly pinch the lens and lift it off your eye.
Take Care Of Your Eyes and Lenses
Taking proper care of your contact lenses can help maintain healthy eyes and prolong the life of your contacts.
Here’s what you need to do:
Clean your contact lens case once a week and switch to a new one every three months without fail, or as suggested by your eye care professional.
Do not wear contacts when you’re ill, even if it is a minor cold because when you’re sick, germs can easily spread from your hands to your eyes while putting in or removing contacts.
Throw away any contact lens solution one month after you’ve opened it, even if there’s some solution left in it.
Always keep your fingernails short in order to prevent scratching your eyes or causing any damage to your contacts while putting them in or while taking them out.
Also, since most of you reading this are first-time users here’s a list of frequently asked questions. We hope this helps sort out any doubts you may have.
1
Q. Is it safe to use contact lenses while playing sports?
A. Unlike eyeglasses, contact lenses provide athletes with a better vision and a competitive advantage because they stay in place and don’t come off easily even under dynamic conditions. Also, they provide a wider vision and phase out the risk of any eyeglass-related injuries.
2
Q. Can I use tap water with my contact lenses?
A. No, you can’t. Experts recommend that contact lenses should not be exposed to any form of water. Acanthamoeba, an organism present in tap water and other forms of impure water, can attach itself to a lens and cause a sight-threatening infection.
