Wearing contact lenses can have you struggling to remove them in the beginning but if you ever find that your contacts are stuck to your eyes, stay calm and follow these simple instructions.
What to do if a soft lens is stuck
Before you try anything at all, wash your hands thoroughly to prevent any foreign matter from going into your eye. Now figure out where the contact lenses are stuck in your eye.
Cornea
If the lenses are centered on your cornea, then it can only mean one thing. Your lenses have dried out. This can occur if you accidentally fall asleep while wearing your contact lenses.
If this is the case, all you have to do is rinse your eye for a few seconds with sterile saline, rewetting drops or contact lens solution.
Close your eyes and gently massage your upper lid until the contact lenses begin to move.
This should work but in case it does not, repeat the rinsing process while you blink after each rinse to get the lens to start moving. This entire process may take up at least 15 minutes so be patient and remain calm.
Once you get your contacts to move, remove them as you normally would.
After-Care
Check to see if your eyes feel irritated or dry afterward. If so, lubricate your eyes with sterile saline or use artificial tears. Should the irritation persist or you develop other symptoms like redness in your eyes, immediately see a doctor.
Off-center
If your contact lenses are stuck elsewhere in your eye, move your eyes to the opposite side. For instance, if your contacts are stuck below your pupil, look up.
Close your eyes and gently massage your eyelid to get the contact lenses to move to the center. If needed, you can rinse your eyes in this case as well with rewetting drops, saline or lens solution.
If you find this technique doesn’t yield results, try inserting new contacts and blinking normally. If your lenses are stuck far behind your eyelid, this hack can help draw the lens to the center from where you can easily remove it.
What to do if a gas permeable lens is stuck
If your contact lenses are the gas permeable kind, you will want to try different removal techniques. Avoid massaging your eyelid completely as this can cause a corneal abrasion.If your contact lenses are stuck on the white part of your eye, use the tip of your fingertip to gently press your eye beyond the edge of the lens. This should break the suction and let the contact move around easily. Do not try this with long fingernails. Cut your nails short if needed.
Another way to combat the issue to buy a suction cup device which is specifically designed for situations like these. Press the device onto the center of your contacts and gently pull it away from your eyes.
When to see a doctor
If home remedies do not work or cause redness, irritation or blurred vision, make an appointment to see a doctor. Stuck lenses can cause a lot of grief and need to be dealt with swiftly. Eye doctors have suction cup devices or soft-tipped tweezers to deal with contact lenses.
Tips to prevent this from happening
- Always keep rewetting drops handy
- Give yourself time to remove your lenses without rushing the whole process.
- Never go to sleep with your lenses on
Don’t let stuck lenses put you off from ever wearing them at all. Especially if you are into colored ones, try the Bella lenses. Bella lenses are a safe way to experiment with different eye colors without worrying
