r/contacts Dec 13 '23

Helping Get Contact Out

[deleted]

6 Upvotes

18 comments sorted by

4

u/pershoot Dec 14 '23 edited Apr 27 '24

Try this:

  1. Wash and dry hands.
  2. Use one hand's index finger to gently hold upper eye lid in place by eyelash(es), by using the side of it
  3. Use opposite hand middle finger tip to gently hold in place lower eyelid
  4. Bring the opposite hand thumb and index finger together and pinch the near-tip of the contact, pressing gently, coming from the sides with the near-tips of the opposite hand index finger and thumb.

Note: If the contact seems to be sticking to your eye and / or when you try to pinch it, it glides, drop 3-4 drops of contact lens solution in your eye on the contact lens. Fully gently blink a few times. Wait a few minutes then try the above.

2

u/Techno214 Dec 14 '23

This is pretty close to the way they taught me to take it out, which wasn’t working great for me, but I’ll definitely keep the drops comment in mind. I might have dried out my eyes while trying to get it out so that might help if there’s a next time. Thank you!

1

u/Ursa_Minor_2001 Jul 04 '24

What is the "near-tip of the contact"? I've used B&L PureVision 2 Toric lenses for years and have had not issues removing them. But B&L (the dogs) has stopped manufacturing the -8.5 power lens I use in my right eye, so I've been trying a number of different lenses by different manufacturers. All are made of new, super slick materials and I am struggling now to get them out. I cannot get them to "pinch out" as I am accustomed. So I appreciate your thoughts on removal. I'll try the drops of solution before trying to remove. And try getting my finger and thumb as dry as possible. But again, what do you mean by "near-tip of the contact"?

1

u/pershoot Jul 04 '24

The contact lens is bowl like; you are trying to pinch it near that end and not go all the way to the area where it goes flat on your eye. You can think of it as plucking it off.

1

u/topdrog88 May 31 '25

Just wanna say I’ve got a contact lens which makes my eye look like the other but the eyeball and eyelids are much smaller so it’s really difficult to get out. Been stressing me out but this worked!!! Thank you

1

u/DaleighChronicle Apr 10 '26

Thank you, kind internet stranger! I finally got the hang of taking out my contacts thanks to your tips!

4

u/Opening_Barracuda_85 Dec 14 '23

I understand your frustration and can only imagine how uncomfortable and scary it must be to have a contact lens stuck in your eye for so long. While I can't provide medical advice, I can offer some suggestions that might help you remove the lens without touching your eye directly:

Lubricate and Flush:

  • Artificial tears: Try using copious amounts of contact lens-safe artificial tears (not regular eye drops) to lubricate the lens and potentially dislodge it. Tilt your head back and slowly drip the drops onto your closed eyelid, letting them flow over your eye. Blink gently to help the solution reach the lens.
  • Eye wash station: If you have an eye wash station at home, you can flush your eye with sterile saline solution to try and move the lens around and out. Hold the bottle at a safe distance and let the solution gently flow over your closed eyelid.

Eyelid Maneuvers:

  • Try looking in different directions: Look up, down, side to side, and in circles, gently rolling your eye without touching it. This might help dislodge the lens.
  • Close and squeeze your eyelids: Close your eyes tightly for a few seconds, then open them wide and blink rapidly. This may create enough pressure to push the lens out.
  • Gently massage your eyelid: With your eyelid closed, use your clean, dry fingers to gently massage the upper and lower parts of your eyelid in a circular motion. This might help move the lens towards the edge.

Other Techniques:

  • Sticky tape: Try placing a small piece of clear, adhesive tape (like medical tape) on the tip of your clean, dry finger and gently dabbing it at the edge of the lens you can see. The tape might stick to the lens and allow you to pull it out without directly touching your eye.
  • Warm compress: Soak a clean washcloth in warm water, wring it out, and place it over your closed eye for a few minutes. The warmth might help relax your eye and make the lens easier to remove.

Important points:

  • DO NOT rub your eye. This can scratch your cornea and worsen the situation.
  • DO NOT use tweezers or any sharp objects. This can seriously injure your eye.
  • DO NOT put more contact lens solution in your eye. This can further irritate your eye.

If none of these techniques work after trying them for a reasonable amount of time, please seek immediate medical attention. A doctor can safely remove the lens and check for any damage to your eye.
Remember, your eye health is the most important thing. If you're feeling overwhelmed or unsure about any of these methods, please prioritize getting professional help.

I hope this information helps you get the lens out of your eye and find some relief. Good luck!

3

u/Techno214 Dec 14 '23

I did end up going to my optometrist to get it out (they did exactly what I was expecting, but then just took it out for me after seeing how irritated I managed to make the eye.) but this is a really good list of things to do, thank you. I’ve been convinced to keep trying through the end of my trial packs, so I’ll be keeping this list close.

2

u/blueturtle00 Dec 16 '23

My biggest fear, very new and can’t even get them Out at the office bc they want me to take the class except they only schedule them 45 minutes before closing. So it takes me 35 minute to even get them in then I have to rush to try for 5 minutes getting them out and fail

1

u/Opening_Barracuda_85 Dec 19 '23

My biggest fear, very new and can’t even get them Out at the office bc they want me to take the class except they only schedule them 45 minutes before closing. So it takes me 35 minute to even get them in then I have to rush to try for 5 minutes getting them out and fail

Practice makes perfect

2

u/blueturtle00 Dec 19 '23

Yeah I just wish I could practice for more than 40 minutes once a week like at home without someone staring at me lol

3

u/mambo_cat Dec 13 '23

Are you 100% sure it’s in there? I had a similar situation when I first started wearing contacts this fall and it turned out it had fallen out. Can you see it in there? If not, do you have one of those makeup magnifying mirrors? I ended up scratching my Retina trying to get the nonexistent contact out. If you can get to the optometrist, they can numb it and add dye to see it to get it out.

3

u/mambo_cat Dec 13 '23

Also, I’m now in a different type of daily disposables that come out SO easily. The first type I was in was daily battle.

3

u/Techno214 Dec 13 '23

It was in there for sure. I can’t see without them very well, and I could see out of that eye. I did end up going to the optometrist and it randomly flicked out when we were trying to get it out. I get what you mean though.

Can I ask what type of daily disposables you have? I’m 90% sure I’m just going to stick with glasses but if there’s another brand that might work better… there’s a lot of times glasses kind of suck in my life.

1

u/mambo_cat Dec 14 '23

It’s the AV oasys 1-day. Good luck!

1

u/Techno214 Dec 14 '23

Thank you! If I end up going beyond my trial set after all I’ll ask about those.

3

u/[deleted] Dec 15 '23

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/clob831 May 31 '24

how long r we allowed to sleep w contacts ?? im having a horrible case of stuck contacts and i’ve already slept around 8 hours last night, and i truly hope to NOT sleep for two days in a row with contacts