CONTACT LENS FITTING AND TRAINING TO USE

The goal of contact lens fitting is to find the most appropriate contact lens for your optimal comfort and vision. An enormous variety of types, styles, materials, sizes and colours are offered. We are committed to taking the time and making the effort to fit contact lenses that suits you best. Although many patients need only one fitting session, some require several appointments. In our experience, the extra time, effort and patience are very worthwhile, both for your ultimate satisfaction and the health of your eyes.

How To Put On Contact Lenses

Learning to put lenses on can be a frustrating experience for many. The good news is that It really is easy! 

Detailed Instructions On How To Put On Soft Contact Lenses

*When handling your contact lenses, remember to be gentle. There is never a reason to be rough or forceful with contact lenses. Gentle handling is your best defence against damage to both the lens and your eye.

Preparation:

• Always work over a clean surface. You do not want the lens to get lost or contaminated if it accidentally drops.
• Wash your hands thoroughly. Liquid soap is the most effective because it contains fewer oils. You want to avoid certain soaps with extra perfume or moisturizers (like aloe). Extra moisturizes can coat up on your lens over time.
• Dry your hands with a lint-free towel.
• Have a mirror, if you need a good mirror, you will find a wide selection here magnifying mirror
• Relax, it is ok to take a break if you find yourself getting frustrated. It can be stressful, learning to put on lenses, however, once you get the hang of it, handling lenses becomes extremely easy. So relax and have fun with it.

Remove Only One Lens From The Case At A Time

• Get in the habit of always starting with the same eye first. For example, if you are right handed, start with your right lens for your right eye.
• Open only one side of the case and remove the lens. By keeping one side of the lens case open and the other closed it will prevent mixing up your lenses.
• Gently remove the lens from the case. Don’t dig the lens out, as this may tear or damage it. Rather, you may gently pour it out or dab it with your finger. Remember, always be gentle, there is never a reason to be forceful with a contact lens.

Check To Make Sure Your Lens Is Not Inside Out

One way to tell if a lens is inside out is by the shape of the edges. An inside out lens will have the flat profile of a pasta plate, where the edges flare outward. When a lens is oriented properly, it will resemble a bowl, the edges will appear rounded.

(Notice on the lens seated correctly the very top edge is curved upward, like a bowl. When a soft lens is inverted inside out, the top edge flares outward a bit. The extent of this difference varies from one type of lens to another.)

Rinse the lens with fresh clean solution.
You should always use the same solution that we recommended for your lenses and eyes.

Inserting the lens, Key points to remember:

• • GENTLY placing the lens on the eye will work. It does not get pressed, shoved, or pushed on.
  • Keep your eyes wide open; a lens cannot go on through your lids.
  • Have the lens completely balanced with all edges off your finger. If the lens gets knocked over, it will not easily release from your finger.

Putting On Your Contact Lens

*The following directions are for a right handed person, if you are more comfortable using your left hand, please do so.

• • Balance the clean lens on your right index finger. All edges must be up.
  • Use your left hand to hold your upper lid open. Reach from overhead; gently hold your upper lid and lashes against your brow. If you don’t have a strong tendency to blink you may not need to hold your upper lashes out of the way.
  • Use your right middle finger to gently hold your lower lid out of the way.
  • Move your chin down towards your chest, and continue to look in the mirror (so your eye is looking upward towards the mirror).
  • You should now have an upward glance. Notice all the white of the eye that is exposed when this position is held correctly.
  • Gently place the lens between the lids and on the eye. The lens can be placed anywhere on the eye at this point.
  • Don’t force the lens on. Keep your eyes open and stay relaxed.
  • The lens must clear all your lids and lashes, so when it reaches the eye, it is still properly balanced on your finger.
  • Once on the eye, gently slide the contact towards the cornea (over the coloured area of your eye)
  • Don’t close your eyes yet! Your almost there.
  • Slowly take your finger straight back, keeping your eyes open.
  • Gently let go of your lids, look downward towards the floor.
  • Slowly close your eyes.
  • Open your eyes and see clearly

Congratulations! You Just Put On Your Contact Lens.

Repeat for the other eye. Everything is the same with the other eye, except you are working on the other side of your nose. Many people find it comfortable to use the same hands to put on both lenses, this is a personal preference. You do whatever feels most comfortable.

 How To Remove Your Soft Contact Lenses

You have your contact lenses on, maybe you have worn them a good portion of the day and now it is time to remove them.

The first step is to wash your hands. Just as when you put your lenses on, you want to use a soap that does not have excessive perfumes or moisturizers, such as aloe, in it.

You now have clean hands and are positioned in a clean area with a mirror.

Avoid Injury:
        check to be sure the lens is still there before removing it

Remember the lens is resting in front of the coloured area of your eye. If you are not sure the lens is still there, cover the other eye and check your vision. If you can see clearly, the lens is there. (If you are near-sighted, look far away to test if the lens is still on, if you are farsighted, look up close)

Steps to remove your soft contact lens

• Hang your head low and look upwards into the mirror. This should expose some white of the eye below the lens.
• With your clean finger, slide the lens to the white of the eye. Don’t let go of the lens.
• With your finger and thumb, gently pick the lens up off the white of your eye.
• Clean the lens as prescribed by our office.
• Repeat for the other eye.
• That’s really all there is to it.

Some possible challenges and solutions:

If you have trouble keeping your eye open, use your other hand to hold the upper lids and lashes while the hand that is getting the lens also holds the lower lid.

If you aren’t able to slide the lens, remember to stare in the mirror. If you lose your focal point in the mirror, then your eye has moved and hence the lens has also moved. It is very important to keep focused on one spot through the entire process.

If you have trouble picking up the lens, try sliding even further to the white of the eye. The further from the cornea you are able to slide the contact lens, the easier it will be to pick up.

If you have long nails, do not use them to pick up the lens. Rather, slide the lens all the way down to the lower lid and let it roll over the lid. The lens will basically be pushed out of the eye and end up on your finger or lower lashes.

If your eye starts to irritate, you probably rubbed too much along the lower lid margin. This tends to sting after a while. Take a break and come back later.