A closer look at handling contacts

The tips below give you a step by step approach to handling, inserting and removing contact lenses. Watch the video below to see exactly how to handle your contacts.

How to Insert Contact Lenses

If you have never put contact lenses in before, it’s a good idea to drop in to your local OPSM store where a team member can show you how to do it. We offer free in-store contact lens trials, so you can experience them first hand.

1. Wash your hands with soap and dry them thoroughly.
2. Place the contact lens on the tip of your index finger. Before placing the lens on your eye, check that it’s facing the right way. If the edges flare out, it’s inside out. If this happens, just flip it around and begin this step again.
3. Look into the mirror, gently hold your upper eyelid with one finger (so you don’t blink or get your eyelashes in the way) and with your middle finger of your other hand, gently drag your bottom eyelid down.
4. Looking straight ahead at the mirror, place the contact lens onto the eye with the bottom edge of the contact lens touching first. Think of the contact lens cupping the eyeball.
5. Blink gently to check that the contact is in your eye.

If you’re having trouble, try practising touching the white part of the eye without a contact lens a few times before inserting the lens. If you find that your contact lens is folding over, it means you are blinking before the contact lens has settled, in which case you may want to try holding your top eyelid too.

Once your lenses are in place, wipe their case with multi-purpose solution and leave it to air-dry. You should replace the case every three months.

How to Remove Contact Lenses

As with inserting lenses, if it’s your first time, an OPSM team member will be happy to show you how.

1. Wash your hands with soap and dry thoroughly.
2. Looking into the mirror, pull your upper eyelid up with one hand and your lower eyelid down with your middle finger of the other hand.
3. Slide the lens down to the lower white part of your eye, keeping your finger on the lens all the time. With the index finger and thumb of the same hand, gently pinch the contact lens off the eye.