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Ferrets are Cool

(21,345 posts)
Wed Feb 22, 2023, 06:06 PM Feb 2023

Anyone have difficulty removing their soft contact lenses?

I got my brand new contact lenses today. Getting them in isn't too difficult. Getting them out is another story.
Are there any tools that can be used for people with big ole fat fingers?
First hand accounts please.

9 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Anyone have difficulty removing their soft contact lenses? (Original Post) Ferrets are Cool Feb 2023 OP
Put a drop of saline in your eye before attempting Quakerfriend Feb 2023 #1
Thank you Ferrets are Cool Feb 2023 #3
Re-wetting drops really help me. ZZenith Feb 2023 #2
Once I scrape my fingernail under the lens they pop out like magic! sdfernando Feb 2023 #4
"Fat fingers" are rarely the problem. Jirel Feb 2023 #5
Thank you so much for the detailed post. Ferrets are Cool Feb 2023 #8
if the lens and eye are moist enough, lower the lid w one finger... FreepFryer Feb 2023 #6
I wear these HUGE scleral contact lenses. I have wandering corneas and these keep them mitch96 Feb 2023 #7
Thank you all for your posts. I could NOT get them out tonight and Ferrets are Cool Feb 2023 #9

sdfernando

(5,227 posts)
4. Once I scrape my fingernail under the lens they pop out like magic!
Wed Feb 22, 2023, 07:26 PM
Feb 2023

Just kidding!

Eye drops to re-wet the lens makes it easier. Took a long time for me to get used to sticking my fingers in my eye. I don't wear them any longer, went back to glasses. Astigmatism in both eyes dictated weighted lenses which cost more....and when laying on my side on the couch watching TV they would turn and there goes my clear focus.

Jirel

(2,170 posts)
5. "Fat fingers" are rarely the problem.
Wed Feb 22, 2023, 08:35 PM
Feb 2023

I used to wear contacts full time, but then my allergies got so bad it wasn't worth it... and then I had an eyeball go south on me so that it's a real risk to wear them in that eye. I do still wear them in one eye when doing shows. But put that all together, and I've had a bunch of decades dealing with the common problems - the natural urge to close your eyes down when being poked, dryness/irritation that makes it tough to remove a contact because it's stuck like glue, and frustration/discomfort/anxiety making all that even worse. Here are the things that have been important for me:

1) Are you using dailies? They're much bigger than some older soft contacts (boo!), but they also don't get all caked with eye protein as easily to assist them in sticking to your eyeball and/or causing irritation (yay!).

2) Lube, lube, lube. After wearing them for a while, depending on wind, your eyes' natural levels of moisture, irritation, and whatnot, you may have some sticking. It can hurt, but I'm sure you've experienced that. The answer isn't to mess with the contact more, or the size of your finger, but to get that contact nice and slidey. I don't even try to remove the contact on round one. Instead, I use a contact lens rewetting drop. I usually use a product called Refresh Contacts, that you drop right into your eye. I'll find a comfortable spot, put in a drop, and with my finger rub my closed eyelid gently to help the drop get under the contact and lube up my eye. On a bad day, when I've had allergies, sun, and wind all ganging up on me, I may even do this 2-3 times, 3-5 minutes apart. You learn how it starts to feel when that "sticky" contact starts letting loose because you have sufficient lubrication in there to break the seal. Then, with one hand I make sure my eyelid is way open (easy to squint, too, when you're dry!), and with a dry, clean finger, I put it right on the center of the contact and shift it a bit. With proper lubrication, the contact should stick much more to your finger than your eye. No shifty? Lube your eye some more. If I've got some shift, I go sideways a bit and use a second finger to pinch the contact and out it comes. If you don't get a shift, and the lens is stuck to your eyeball, it's not coming out.

3) If you find that dry(ish) eyes are a problem, take flax seed oil capsules once a day (with food, because they burp nasty!). My ophthalmologist taught this trick to me. Some of us don't have a lot of fatty acids in our tears to help with lubing our eyes up. Yay, flax seed oil can increase that, and it's also good for us in other ways. It takes a week or two of taking the capsules before you get a ton of change.

4) Aftercare is important. If your eyes are irritated, make sure you use a good non-medicated lubricating eye drop shortly after taking the contact out. I use GenTeal Tears, which my opthalmologist recommended (also Systane makes a good, recommended product).

The bottom line is that there are tools such as the ones that paramedics use, to remove someone's contacts. But if you can get one in with no problem, it's not the size of your fingers that's the issue. Your eyes and your contacts probably don't want to part ways. Removing a contact by force with one of those little suction devices is extremely painful if your contacts are stuck, and it'll just make the anxiety, shaking hands, and fighting worse. You want this to be relaxed and smooth, no friction!

Ferrets are Cool

(21,345 posts)
8. Thank you so much for the detailed post.
Thu Feb 23, 2023, 12:24 AM
Feb 2023

The flax seed oil capsules is a great tip. The dr says I have very uncooperative tear ducts.
Thanks again.

FreepFryer

(7,078 posts)
6. if the lens and eye are moist enough, lower the lid w one finger...
Wed Feb 22, 2023, 08:51 PM
Feb 2023

... and soft gentle pinch the lens between the other hand’s thumb n middle finger.

takes practice, dont panic and dont go nuts if u have trouble removing it. buy plenty of saline and rinse.

mitch96

(14,428 posts)
7. I wear these HUGE scleral contact lenses. I have wandering corneas and these keep them
Wed Feb 22, 2023, 11:47 PM
Feb 2023

kinda sorta in place. To get to the point to get these big guys out I use a removing tool. It looks like a little plunger. Like others have said first put saline in your eye. I then put the plunger of the removing tool at about the 6 o'clock position and give them a bit of a move and they just pop out. Google scleral lens removing tool
m

Ferrets are Cool

(21,345 posts)
9. Thank you all for your posts. I could NOT get them out tonight and
Thu Feb 23, 2023, 12:26 AM
Feb 2023

had to resort to getting my wife to get them out for me and it even took her 30 mins. I'm sure it has to do with the dryness of my eyes and that the contacts are stuck to my eyeball.

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