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When I first got my contact lenses (last month–I know, right?) I read tons of tips and tricks on the internet. My doctor helped me and Karen helped a ton. She was my on-call personal contact lens assistant.
But there was one contact lens tip that I had to find out the hard way. Not because people were keeping it from me, but probably because they never thought to tell me. The one thing nobody thought to mention was that you should never try to put your contact in like this, with the lens on the pad of your finger, on your fingerprint:
Why? Because you’ll constantly hit your eyelashes and cause the lens to fold back.
You’ll spend 20 minutes putting your contacts in every morning.
You’ll drive yourself batty and swear at the mirror every. dang. time.
What you should do, rather, is this:
Put the lens on the very tip of your finger, where there is less chance of anything bumping into your eyelashes.
Seriously. This tip saves me 18 minutes every morning and a whole lot of frustration.
I am sure this tip will help loads of people.
I do not wear contacts as I feel they would annoy the heck out of me.
But great tips!
Oh no! They bothered me at first too – I went through about 6 different brands/types before I found ones that were comfortable. Thank you for stopping by!
Never no thanks needed Becca but thanks too. Love your blog!
Hi Becca.
I’m a 40 something year old mom who is coming to grips with vision that isn’t what it used to be. My arms are just not long enough any more. I have glasses that I got 3 years ago and at my recent eye exam the dr suggested I try contacts. He put in a trial pair and it was like my youthful perfect vision swooshed back into my eyeballs. But I didn’t like the way they felt. I don’t want to feel anything in my eyes. AT ALL… is that even possible? Did you have to purchase ever kind you tried? Honestly I’m still up in the air about the decision of getting another pair of glasses or jumping to contacts. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Great Tip by the way.
Hi Andrea!
I went through 6 different types of contacts before I settled on one that I accepted. They were all samples. The doctor gave me one to try and after a few days I’d call and say it wasn’t working, so I’d go grab another sample.
Some hurt my eyes, some felt uncomfortable, some clouded up after a day or so, and the last ones were noticeably better. I don’t feel these in my eyes and am only reminded of them being there 3-4 times a day. Most of the time they’re dry and I need to blink more.
I didn’t purchase every kind I tried – they were all samples from the doctor (they have a ton). My doctor told me to not purchase anything until I was 100% happy with one of the ones she gave me. The ones I settled on are actually an older material, so she is thinking that I’m sensitive to the newer ones that breathe more.
It’s funny because I tried to go with the ones that my friends recommended, but truthfully, nobody’s eyes are the same! Don’t settle – I’m glad I didn’t. These are totally worth it, and I’m so glad I ditched my glasses!
If it helps, I went to Costco :)
I got my contacts this past year and it was hell trying to get them in. I was really frustrated and every time my husband offered to put them in for me I became more and more discouraged. Finally I got them in and I used a similar method. I always wondered why people didn’t tell me about them hitting my lashes. Thanks for sharing!
Isn’t it funny how frustrating it can be? I kept saying, “You’re a grown woman! Open your eyes and put them in!”
I’m 57 and I’m going for a contact lens exam in 10 days. Never had them before.
I hate my glasses. Wish me luck!
I’m thinking about you, Kathy! The contacts have been life-changing for me!!
Just got my first contacts yesterday (!!finally!!) I’ve been having a hard time getting them in, gonna go try this tip now! Wish me luck!! Thanks for sharing:) xo
So did it work?
A teenager friend of my daughter gave me the best tip on putting my contacts in. “always put a drop of solution on contact before putting into eye”. It almost jumps off your finger into your eye. It really works.
Thank you! That’s a great tip!!
OKAY! I WEAR 2, YES 2 CONTACTS IN ONE EYE. I HAVE TO PLACE A SOFT ONE (PIGGY BACK) AND A HARD ONE ON TOP OF THE SOFT ONE . IT’S CALLED PIGGY BACK CONTACTS. BECAUSE I CAN NOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT HANDLE THE HARD CONTACT DIRECTLY ON MY EYEBALL, BUT I MUST HAVE CONTACTS BECAUSE I HAVE A CORNEA DISEASE! SO THOSE OF YOU WHO CAN STILL WEAR EYE GLASSES, THANK YOUR GOD FOR THAT, BECAUSE I HAVE TO WEAR CONTACTS IN ORDER TO SEE OR ELSE I AM LEGALLY BLIND IN ONE EYE AND CANNOT DRIVE OR MANUEVER. BUT I AM THANKING GOD IT’S ONLY IN ONE EYE. I DO THE SAME THING AND PUT THE SOFT LENS ON THE TIP OF MY FINGER AND IT MAKES IT SO MUCH EASY….AND LOOK UP WHEN YOU PLACE IT IN YOUR EYE, THEN CLOSE YOUR EYE FOR A MOMENT FOR THE CONTACT TO SETTLE, THEN LOOK DOWN AS YOU SLOWLY OPEN YOUR EYE AND BLINK A COUPLE OF TIMES, THEN PLACE THE HARD CONTACT LENS IN THE EYE, WHICH IS SO MUCH EASIER THAN PLACING A SOFT LENS. I CAN POP A HARD LENS IN MY EYE IN LESS THAN 5 SECONDS….POP! WE’RE DONE, AND OFF TO WORK I GO! HAVE A NICE DAY
I have worn contacts for many years and I put the contact on the pad of my index finger and put in my eye. I have never had any problems doing it this way. I was surprised to see this as an issue.
same here , I use lenses over 20 years now , never had an issue placing them from day one. Tip from a friend who had issues initially, open the eye really well with your left hand , you hold the lids this way too, don’t look at your finger coming close but strait ahead to the mirror and then place the lense with the index finger. After a while you will be able to do the whole task in the dark
GOOD INFO!! IM WEARING MY GLASSES NOW AND IM HAVING A HARD TIME READING THIS FONT. WISH I HAD MY CONTACTS IN! IM GOING TO TRY THIS METHOD. THANKS
I have the weirdest confession… My fingers are tapered at the end right to my nail. I don’t have a spot on the ‘top’ of my finger.
Thanks Becca, This Helped a ton. I appreciate you providing it online. I was having a lot of trouble until I read this.
Can you tell me which do you prefer? Hard or soft contacts?! This will be an eye opening experience for me after wearing glasses for 10 years. Aaahhh. Do I teally want to make the switch?! I’m a 60 year old Grandma… thanks for your help!
Soft works for me me I cannot feel them at all. I’m 54
I wore hard contacts for 20 years then stopped for about 10 years. I got a pair of soft sclera contacts in my 60’s. I tried more than one pair and couldn’t rely on the right one to stay in. Kept losing it at $100 each. So I wear 1 contact or wear glasses. Don’t like either solution.
I’m 72 and started wearing contacts a year ago because I hate glasses. I had no problems other than taking the one out of my left eye. It took me a little longer to master that one. Go for it, you’ll be glad you did. If I can, you can.
Thanks for the tip on how to put your contact lens on properly. It’s great that you elaborated on this because it can be hard for some people to learn how to put them in properly. My little sister just got contacts for the first time; I will be sure to share this with her.
I’m new to contacts and I have long nails and can’t get the contacts out. So my Eye doctor took them out and told me to have my nails shortened. Then try again. Any tips for long nails?
I’m sorry, my nails are short!
I’m 67 yrs old. Have been wearing eyeglasses past few years but would really like not to wear eyeglasses anymore…. I tryed contacts but
My blink reflex is so strong I couldn’t get near my eyeball…. I gave up trying…. How do people get them in easier who have a strong blink reflex??
I too have a strong blink reflex due to my eye’s always have been sensitive, and now my doctor tells me I need to wear one hard contact in my right and I so afraid. Any advice Please!