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11 Mar How to insert a contact lens
How to insert a contact lens.
There is no uniquely right or wrong way to insert a soft contact lens but a safe repeatable method is the obvious goal. The following is the method I instruct my first time lens wearers to use and generally they do well with this technique.
There are 5 steps.
Contact lenses are placed in their containers concave down, i.e. downward facing in the same orientation as if it was on an eye. When you break the seal in their packaging and scoop out the lens it will be necessary to take it off your finger and turn it over. The contact lens is then in the correct position to meet the eye. It is advisable to dry the finger that will be used to insert the contact. If only the contact lens is wet, it will part from the finger more easily and seal on to the wet eye.
Another good tip for the astigmatic contact lens wearers is to do this rotational maneuver while covering the other eye. Look at a far off object and rotate the lens until you have perfect clarity. Repeat with the other eye if it too has an astigmatic lens inserted. Astigmatic lenses have 2 powers in a cross shape, when the lens is inserted it probably will not be orientated correct within your eye. These lenses are designed to swing into the correct orientation but it can take some time. Rotating the lens quickly establishes clarity and perhaps also improves comfort.