Removing a folded contact lens requires patience and gentle technique. Often, a folded lens feels stuck or has moved from its usual position. The key is to lubricate the eye, locate the lens, and guide it to a position where it can be easily removed, using methods like blinking or gentle manual extraction.
Understanding the Issue
A contact lens can fold in your eye for various reasons, such as dryness, rubbing your eye, or improper insertion. A folded lens might not be immediately visible in its normal position and can feel uncomfortable or scratchy. It might migrate under the eyelid.
Steps for Removing a Folded Contact Lens
Follow these steps carefully to safely remove a folded contact lens:
1. Clean Your Hands
Before touching your eye or the lens, thoroughly wash and dry your hands with soap and a lint-free towel. This prevents introducing dirt or bacteria into your eye.
2. Lubricate Your Eye
Dryness is a common cause of lenses folding or sticking. Apply a few drops of saline solution or rewetting drops specifically designed for contact lenses. Close your eye and gently massage the eyelid, or blink several times to help the solution distribute and hydrate the lens and your eye's surface. This can help the lens unfold or move to a more accessible position.
3. Locate the Lens
Look around slowly, up, down, and side to side, to see if you can spot the folded lens. It might be under your upper or lower eyelid. Pulling your eyelids gently away from the eye can help you see further.
4. Move the Lens Towards the Center
If you locate the lens away from the center of your eye (like under an eyelid), you need to guide it back.
- Upper eyelid: Look down and gently massage your upper eyelid while blinking.
- Lower eyelid: Look up and gently massage your lower eyelid.
- Corner of the eye: Use a clean finger to gently push on the eyelid over the lens to guide it towards the iris.
5. Removal Once Accessible
Once the lens has moved and you feel it is accessible, possibly near the open part of your eye as described in the reference, there are two main ways to remove it:
- Blinking: "Once you feel it get toward. The open part of the eye. You can either again blink several times and it'll just fall right out..." As the reference suggests, often, simply blinking repeatedly will cause the folded lens to unfold slightly or move enough to be easily removed, or even fall out on its own.
- Fingertip Method: "...or if you need to again with your clean fingertips." If blinking doesn't work, use your clean fingertips. Look up and use your index finger to gently pull down your lower eyelid. Use your thumb and index finger to gently pinch the lens off the surface of your eye. If the lens is still folded, try to grasp one edge and gently pull it away.
Important: Always be gentle. Avoid using fingernails, which can scratch your eye.
What to Do If You Can't Remove It
- Apply more lubricating drops and wait a few minutes before trying again.
- Do NOT aggressively rub your eye, as this can scratch the cornea or push the lens further into an uncomfortable position.
- If you are unable to remove the lens after several attempts, or if your eye becomes red, painful, or you experience blurry vision, seek immediate help from an eye care professional. They have specialized tools and techniques to safely remove the lens.
Summary of Removal Techniques
| Method | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| Lubrication | Applying saline or rewetting drops | Before attempting removal, if eye feels dry |
| Blinking | Repeatedly blinking once lens is accessible | As a first attempt when the lens is centered |
| Fingertips | Gently pinching or pulling the lens off the eye with clean fingers/thumb | If blinking is ineffective, once lens is centered |
| Gentle Massage | Massaging eyelids over the lens to guide it towards the center of the eye | If the lens is stuck under an eyelid |
By following these steps, including the techniques mentioned in the reference once the lens is accessible, you can safely remove a folded contact lens.
