3 Steps to Master Before Learning to Put In Contact Lenses
I meet a lot of people in my entrepreneur journey who tell me they ‘just couldn’t do contacts’ or think ‘oh I could never do contacts’. And in some cases, that is true, contact lenses are not for everybody. But in a lot of cases, the people in question just needed a slower, more tailored instructional time period then the eye doctors and eye care practitioners have time for. So, what are some steps that you can practice before going to see the optometrist to make your contact lens journey smoother and more successful? Read on!
Pre-step – Always wash your hands before any contact near the eye.
Watch the Video Tutorial Instead:
Step 1
Get used to placing your fingers on your eyelid. Very importantly do NOT try to touch your eye or move the eyelid. Just get used to touching the top and bottom eyelid gently and keep practicing until you can do it comfortably without your eyelid freaking out. If you regularly wear eye makeup, this step will probably be simple, if not, hang in there, and take your time. Do not move on until you can regularly touch the lids without issue.
Step 2
Once you can touch your eyelid, it’s time to practice holding your eye open for at least five seconds. If you have oily skin, this may require washing your face first. Once you can hold your eye open for “Five Mississippis” comfortably, you are ready to move on to the next step. You want to be able to hold your eye open wide enough that the entire iris is visible. Practicing by looking in a mirror is a good way to make sure you’re holding it open far enough. I generally use my middle or ring fingers to hold the eye open to leave my pointer finger free for placing the lens.
Step 3
Practice centering your pointer finger in front of your pupil. For this step, you definitely want a mirror. It is very important you DO NOT TOUCH OR TRY TO TOUCH YOUR EYE. Doing so will set you back on your journey because it will hurt. Practicing holding your finger in front of your pupil and getting it lined up while holding your eye open helps your brain come to terms with the idea that this position is not going to cause pain or imminent danger. If your body is used to these motions, when it comes time to actually place the lens, your eyelid is less likely to immediately try to snap shut.
And those are the 3 steps to prepping for a contact lens consultation! If you can successfully do those three things, learning to put your contacts lenses in at the eye doctor’s office will be a breeze.
Lastly, ensure you talk to your doctor about environmental and lifestyle factors: how long you plan to wear your contacts each day, your location when you wear them (outside vs. inside, desert vs. tropics), how many days per week you plan on wearing them, etc. This information will help the eye care practitioner choose a brand and replacement schedule that is right for you. Daily disposable contact lenses are increasingly the most prescribed lens due to their increased breathability from their thinner design and decreased risk of eye infection since they are regularly replaced. Both of these factors lend themselves to healthier eyes long-term.
If your optometrist does prescribe daily contact lenses, be sure to come back to OptoOrg and check out our Daily Contact Lens Organizers.
Watch the video tutorial: