It's quite common for people to avoid getting contact glasses or lenses because they are unsure of how to put them in . . . or even that they will be able to deal with having something in their eyes every day. However, contacts are really quite easy to use, once you get the hang of it. The first couple of times, you may be hesitant, but this article will show you how to put your new contact lenses in and how to ensure that they don't bother you.



To make sure that your contact glasses don't have calcium build up that could irritate your eyes, you'll want to soak them in lens cleaning solution for at least 4-6 hours. This will loosen up anything that has built up during the time they have been in the package. After the soak time, rinse your contacts thoroughly with saline solution (NOT tap water) and check them for any scratches or tears. Then you're ready to put them in.

You should wash your hands with soap and water before handling your contact glasses. This just ensures that no dirt or grime will get trapped under the lens where it can irritate your eye. Also, dry your hands carefully, since a wet fingertip will tend to stick to the contact, making it harder to insert.

Once you have prepared everything and your hands and contact glasses are nice and clean, you are ready to get started. Take the first contact lens and place it on your fingertip. It should look like a little bowl sitting there, with the top edges horizontal. Soft contacts can get turned inside out by accident sometimes and if this happens, you'll notice that the edges flare out. Just turn it right side out and it will be fine.

The easiest way to put your contact glasses in is to place the contact lens on the index finger of the hand closest to your eye, left hand for left side, etc. Use the middle finger of that same hand to pull the lower eyelid down and the opposite hand to lift the upper lid. Basically, you want your eye open as much as possible, you should be able to see the entire colored part of your eye.

Now, place the contact gently in the eye, making sure that it doesn't stick to your finger and let go of your eyelids. Blink a few times and the contact will automatically center itself. You should be fairly comfortable at this point. But, to make sure that you don't have any problems, you'll want to make sure that you don't wear your new contacts for very long the first few times, since they can be drying to the eyes.

Following the recommended time schedule for wearing your contact glasses is definitely a good idea, but you might want to use some lubricating eye drops (ask your eye doctor for recommendations) to help ease any discomfort. It's normal to have slightly irritated eyes the first few times that you wear contacts. You might find that your eyes tear up and get a bit red, but that's normal. However, pain is not, so if you have any pain, just take them out.

Trying out contact lenses for the first time can be a bit nerve-wracking, but it will get easier. Within a week, you'll be a complete expert at putting your contacts in and taking them out!