Contact lenses have ceased to remain a necessity only in case of pathological optical defects. Those were the days when contact lenses used to be considered as something which you would buy from the market only as you buy prescribed scheduled drugs. But now, contact lenses have surrounded the entire market and can be easily worn without prescription. In fact, contact lenses that come with a zero diopter rating can be used by anyone.

From the early days when contact lenses were worn only for the purpose of improving impaired vision, the lenses have developed from hard to soft and now into disposable contact lenses. The lenses are now also available in a variety of colors. No wonder that colored contact lenses have become the new age fashion statement among most style-conscious people. However, it should also be remembered that your eyes are the touchiest part of your whole body and adequate care should be taken while wearing these lenses.

Try to avoid any unbalanced wearing of a contact lens. How will you manage this? Hold up the contact lens with the tip of your index finger before your eyes so that it forms a cup and look on into the sides of the cup. Be careful to find out if the lens forms a “U” or a “U” with the edges jutting out, then it is not properly placed. Try re-adjusting it again.

Remember that one of the most frequent problems new lens wearers (and sometimes also those who are used to it) face is the problem of a lens which has got stuck up in your eye. The lens can be of any type-be it a non-prescribed colored contact lens, a cosmetic contact lens, a cataract lens, disposable contact lens or a custom contact lens. Prescription contact lenses are not the exception to this, including bifocal contact lenses or toric lenses. However, one should be particularly careful while fixing the problem. Badly fixed lenses or mismanaged contact lens problems can later get awful and later lead to certain complicated situation.

To remove contact lenses which have not been duly fixed to your retina, follow these simple steps with a lot of patience:

a. Do not get panicky. Wash your hands and face clean.

b. Treat you affected eye with plenty of saline solution. Saline solution will offer your eyes temporary relief, which you in the meantime will treat yourself.

c. In case of soft lens, close your eyes for a moment or two to allow the lens to appear again. Hard lens wearers should first allow the lens to dry out before they come off of their own.

d. The conventional way of removing a lens can also be followed. Simply lower your eyelid and remove the lens with the tip of your index finger. If your eyes burn or tingle or hurt too much, you can take resort to anesthesia.

Hard contact lenses can be removed using a plunger. Removing soft contact lenses depend upon slowly lubricating your eye until the lens comes out. But if you continue to have problems removing it, see your ophthalmologist immediately.