Contact lenses - First experiences.

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Soldato
Joined
26 Jan 2005
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Evening all,

I decided to try my luck with contact lenses a while back, and went about booking myself an appointment at the opticians. When I got there I had the usual eye test etc to get up to speed on what my eyes are up to.
Now the next part I didn't realise was part of the 'Contact Lense experience'. I didn't give it a thought that you'd have to put them on with the opticians watching you :(

Of course this makes sense really as they want to make sure you understand how to do it and don't hurt your eyes in the process etc, but crikey, I felt like I was having my driving test all over again!

I didn't even get them both in on my first 'lesson'. :(

I have to go back for another appointment in a few days now, which is a bit of a downer. So, have any of you guys taken ages to get used to putting them in and taking them out?

Any tips? Like mustard in the eye maybe? ;)

I was amazed it's so difficult at first, took me an hour just get one in and out!

Am I the only one? And more importantly, do I get a hug from the contact lense wearing elite as a result of my ineptitude? :D
 
It took me AGES to get the in properly!

Was a pain in the arse, now its simple. Takes a few seconds per eye!

I can't really offer any tips though, just open your eyes and look up and then put the contact in
 
Same here, took me about 2 hours at the opticians to get them in!

The next day I flew to Thailand - second ever attempt was in a beach hut without a mirror. I went through 9 before I got a pair in. It got easier, although I stopped after a month.

Tried again 2 years later, and took a good 30 mins to get them in!
 
No, it's very much like riding a bike. She can be a bit difficult at first, a bit fiddly, you might get too much liquid on your hand so keep a tissue handy.

Practice makes perfect, spend time trying to get it in your eye properly while the lady watches. It means later on down you can do it every morning before work/uni etc if you're quick enough.

And fart when the optician's nearby. That'll give you a few metres, or if you're a real man a room or two.
 
Strange tip that my friend told me and I couldn't quite believe myself is to do this when you're at home and doing it.

Lie face down, so on your bed with your head and neck hanging off the edge of the bed look at the floor, get a little moveable mirror on the floor and push up into your eye.

I didn't understand it myself until I tried it, helps me put em in.

But I can put them in standing up, that way is just win though, works first time all the time.
 
Well there was a little contact lens graveyard on the floor when I had my first fitting lesson, but I can do it easily now.

I hold the contact on the tip of my index finger of my right hand.

Then I look up, use the middle finger of my left hand to hold the top eye lid up and the middle finger of my right hand to hold the bottom eye lid down.

Then approach the eye with the index finger, whilst looking at the mirror. Don't look at the contact lens approaching your eye as your eye won't be able to focus so close and you won't see what you're doing in the mirror.

I just changed from Optical Express to SpecSavers for my contacts, Optical Express manage to muck up every delivery and their staff in store are just useless and rude.
 
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The only advice I can give is that over time you will get better at putting them in and taking them out to the point where it becomes second nature.

Some find it easier than others unfortunately. Luckily I don't mind touching my eyes etc so learnt fairly quickly.
 
You'll find, or can find that as you start to get used to putting them in you'll miss several times, readjust them on your finger as it slips around and end up with quite a "dirty" lense, with more chance of getting a piece of dust, or eyelash before you get it on which can certainly sting/feel wrong. But really your eye goes through an adjustment period.

Also, weirdly/badly/thankfully your eyelids at first are quite sensitive on the inside, but after wearing lenses for a while your eyelid essentially deadens the nerves, so over time they get far more comftable.

I think when I first tried them, at like 12-13, I half freaked out when the first one went in, it felt so strange and horrible and my eye was watering so badly I couldn't get the damn thing out.

Not much later I'd be able to whack them in and out in a couple seconds an eye, wear them essentially from waking to going to sleep without any discomfort at all.

AFAIK almost everyone has a weird first try with them, which is normal, after a while very very few people end up unable to get used to them.
 
Cool, well I don't feel like a *complete* muppet then, here's hoping that I can get them in 2nd time round. I think I was caught off-guard because I thought I'd just be practicing at home when I got them. Sounds like it might be an expensive few weeks till I master them.

Thanks for the comments/advice. (Secretly disappointed by the lack of mustard and nuking from orbit comments) ;)
 
I remember a few days after I got contact lenses I was going to a party with my family. I had to use the mirror to put the lenses in back then.

I thought I'd dropped one, which led to my mum and brother helping me look for it for about 20 minutes!! just as we had decided to open a new month supply I found it on my cheek :(
 
At the start, I found them difficult to put in, taking up to 10 mins for the first few times. After a while, it was very natural. I only find them difficult to put them in now when my eyes are dry from tiredness. I use daily disposables btw, and only for sports and going out.
 
It does get easier. I remember my first pair of "permanent" contact lenses back in 1994. Took me ages to get in and then lost one in a rugby game. Was very expensive. I have since worn several different types and moved on to monthly's. Still struggled a bit with them, but when I started the daily's it was much better. they still became uncomfortable after wearing them for more than 5 hours and then about 3 years ago I was introduced to the Acusoft Moist lenses. First time ever that I can wear lenses for a full day without any problems.

Don't worry too much about the getting in and out you will get used to that.
 
My first set of contacts was purchased via the hospital, after I was referred there back in 2003 by my GP, as I had ongoing eye pains.

My first experience with them – they were ‘hard’ RGP ones, and when they were put in, my eyes streamed and streamed, my nose too, not a good look sitting there in a hospital waiting room (I was told to go sit with them in). It felt like both eyes had something in, which technically they did, but it felt like grit or something.

After about 10 minutes or so, my eyes settled down, but were still running a little, and I was told to only wear them for a few hours and just build up the time they were in.

I have an appointment tomorrow with my opticians tomorrow for a new set, as I stopped wearing the RGP ones about 2-3 years ago; they got too uncomfortable and I was finding that I had double vision after taking them out – I think it has something to do with the severe dry eyes I have (using gel drops for those).

I’m hoping that the set I get tomorrow are ‘soft’ contacts and are more comfortable, I’m looking forward wither way, as my prescription is quite high now, so specs have quite thick lenses, even with thinning :( I may look at laser eye treatment in a few years or so though…

As for getting them in and out – it’s **** easy really, to get them in I’d pull the bottom lid down and look upwards, I’d then put the lens on the white of the eyebelow the pupil and slide it up. To get them out, it was simply a case of opening my eyes wide, then pulling the edge, as if I were trying to make ‘Japs’ eye (hurr hurr), and they’d just pop out.
 
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