Went to get contacts

[Alphathree33]

I've worn glasses since I was 8 years old and I figured enough is enough, so I went to get contacts this morning.

After the eye exam, they gave me a trial pair, but after following their instructions, I couldn't put a contact in either eye.

I was looking closely in the mirror but just as the contact would touch the surface of my eye, I'd blink and either loose the contact or it would just get caught in my eyelashes.

They kept telling me to hold on to my eye lid so that I physically couldn't blink, but I couldn't seem to get a good enough grip.

Anyway after 30 minutes or so of trying, my eyes started to get really irratated and I'm going to go back tomorrow and try again. They wouldn't let me leave with the damned lenses without my knowing how to put them in.

Am I just an idiot or has anyone else had this kind of trouble? Turns out my eyeballs are fairly resistant to the idea of anything touching them.

 

[iamwiz82]

I think everyone has issues the first time. I remember it being a PITA. Even worse to get them out the first time.

 

[Heisenberg]

Yeah, I think at first I had trouble getting mine in. But you'll get used to it. I've worn contacts for over 10 years now and I don't even think about it anymore.

 

[Lonyo]

Maybe the person trying to teach you sucked?

I hold my top lid only, and then you kid of just touch the contact onto your eye.
You shouldn't really need to blink until AFTER you've put the contact on anyway.

 

[everman]

You'll get used to poking yourself in the eye after a week or so. Took me a couple days to get good at it.

 

[bigrash]

my eyes are very sensitive so I went through the same thing when I first got contacts. girl to hold me down while I she was trying to put them in my eyes. you get used to it after a while. takes me like 2 seconds to put them on now.

 

[FreshPrince]

your eyeballs won't feel a thing, but your eyelids will feel the irritation if there's any to be had.

 

[Jeraden]

I remember when I first got contacts, I'd say the first couple weeks it took me forever to get them in. Like I'm talking 10 minutes sitting in front of the mirror and repeated attempts. Usually by that time I'd get some lint or hair or something that latched onto it, so by the time I got it in, it would be stinging like crazy so I'd have to take it out and try again.

But eventually you get to the point you get them in the first try every time, when touching your eye doesn't bother you anymore.

 

[NaOH]

I got my first contacts in at the optometrist super quick. The person who was supposoed to teach me was like. "Thanks for making my job A LOT easier." =)

 

[gsethi]

for me, my eye doctor was the one who put in contacts in my eyes for the first time. then he had me take them out and put them back in before leaving. I left while wearing them. Came home and practiced couple of times more and got it.

The first couple of times did take me ~10-15 min for each eye but after that, i was able to get it in in the first 2-3 tries.

Now, i usually put them in in the second try, if not the first.

 

[Alphathree33]

My eye doctor said to practice holding my eyelids open tonight (as I was taught) and simply touching the white part of my eye with my finger to simulate putting a contact there... so I'm going to try that.

I think if I can just get a good enough grip on my upper and lower eyelids, I should be able to land the damn contact right on there

 

[NaOH]

Originally posted by: Alphathree33
My eye doctor said to practice holding my eyelids open tonight (as I was taught) and simply touching the white part of my eye with my finger to simulate putting a contact there... so I'm going to try that.

I think if I can just get a good enough grip on my upper and lower eyelids, I should be able to land the damn contact right on there

Make sure you wash your hands. Don't want another thread "Sh1t! Got Pink Eye!"

 

[dawnbug]

Took me forever the first few times-- you'll get it eventually.

 

[Vich]

Originally posted by: Alphathree33
I've worn glasses since I was 8 years old and I figured enough is enough, so I went to get contacts this morning.

After the eye exam, they gave me a trial pair, but after following their instructions, I couldn't put a contact in either eye.

I was looking closely in the mirror but just as the contact would touch the surface of my eye, I'd blink and either loose the contact or it would just get caught in my eyelashes.

They kept telling me to hold on to my eye lid so that I physically couldn't blink, but I couldn't seem to get a good enough grip.

Anyway after 30 minutes or so of trying, my eyes started to get really irratated and I'm going to go back tomorrow and try again. They wouldn't let me leave with the damned lenses without my knowing how to put them in.

Am I just an idiot or has anyone else had this kind of trouble? Turns out my eyeballs are fairly resistant to the idea of anything touching them.

noob

 

[HN]

give me a few minutes, i'll try to find my instructional pic.

added:
here you go.
be sure those fingers that are doing the holding are dry.

 

[zanieladie]

I had similar problems when I wore contacts. The lens would stick to my fingers or I'd drop them. (They were the soft, disposable kind).

 

[Ryan]

Not everyone has these problems - I got both of mine in within 30 seconds of my first try. I just don't have sensitive eyes.

 

[interchange]

I had a lot of troubles getting them in/out when I first started. I do it differently than most. I hold my eylids open with the matching hand's thumb/forefinger and use my opposite index finger to put the contact in. This allows you to keep one hand completely dry and makes it a lot easier to get and keep the lens in the right spot on the opposite index finger. Just takes some time learning to poke yourself. Now, I get them in the first time 90% and I don't even have to look in the mirror.

Taking them out was the hardest for me at first, but now it's so very, very easy. I don't even bother fixing my eylids in place and grab for it and pinch with my two index fingers.

 

[Lonyo]

Originally posted by: Ryan
Not everyone has these problems - I got both of mine in within 30 seconds of my first try. I just don't have sensitive eyes.

Must.... resist....

Make sure not to press the contact onto your eye, you can usually get away with barely touching and it gets kinda almost sucked onto your eye.

 

[torpid]

When I first tried them, the only lenses available for my prescription were hard contacts. I had immense difficulty. I really hated them even though I wanted to like them. I switched back to glasses. When I eventually was able to do soft lenses, it was easier to deal with. Maybe because I'd lived through the hard lens fiasco.

Still, I think it's pretty normal to have a lot of trouble at first. Even once you get them in, it takes a while to get accustomed to them, they feel itchy at first.

 

[cKGunslinger]

I'll probalby never get contacts because my eyes are so sensitive (or, at least, I'm sentitive about my eyes.) Also, I have horrible hay-fever/allergies 6-7 months out of the year, resulting in profuse watering, itching, and swelling.

 

[Baked]

I wear contacts when I order new glasses. Don't feel a thing.

 

[AdamSnow]

:laugh: I was the exact same way... only I was like 13 when I first tried them, so I was pretty young...

I got them in NO problem, getting them out was nearly impossible... Guy ended up staying after closing, as he wouldn't let me leave without getting them out... hahaha

 

[imported_Phil]

It's fairly easy once you get the hang of it.
Here's a tip: look away and try to place the contact on the white of your eye. Once it's settled, gently slide it over the pupil. The white is a lot less sensitive and this makes it a lot easier.

 

[pontifex]

just thinking about putting contacts in makes my eyes feel weird and they start to water.