How Do I Properly Put On Rigid Contacts On?

Question

At the eye doctor's, I did just fine putting it on but now that I brought em home, I CAN'T!! & it hurts my eye pretty bad (since they're HARD.) Any tips?

Answer 1

It gets better with practice, and less uncomfortable.

(It is so much easier to do this in person!)

There are a variety of techniques:

if people find it difficult to put the lens on the cornea in one go, it's fine to put the lens on the white of the eye and then gently slide it across using the eyelids.

Let the lens get close, then while holding the bottom lid, at the last moment look up and a little *in*. This get the top lid out of the way and puts the lens on the white of the eye in a down and out position, the easiest from which to re-centre the lens. That technique should have been taught to you.

Two fingers on the eyelids *do not touch the lens* further out from the lens will control it and let you either slide it into place (there's only a slight twinge as it moves across) or keep the lens stil while you move the eye under the contact lens by looking it its direction..
i.e. if lens is down and out, look up and in, place fingers on lids beyond lens with a little pressure so lens cannot "run away" and then quickly look down and out.

If you are not getting it, have a rest till the eye is comfortable than try again. Don't try it with a sore eye.

If it's not coming together, you just need a bit more instruction. It's not a problem.

(optometrist, retired)

Answer 2

Put a few drops of contact lens solution onto the side that goes against your eye. This helps it to "seal" against your eye. Then once they're in, keep your eyes shut for a moment to make sure they stay in place and then you should be good to go.

I wore rigid permeable lenses for a few years. At first they really irritated my eyes but after i got used to them, they were great.