What to do if you can’t remove your lenses. How to remove lenses from your eyes: detailed instructions.

There are two types contact lenses: corrective, that is, capable of correcting vision, and decorative. However, if you use lenses, you need to know how to remove lenses correctly.

Corrective ones are mainly made transparent, decorative ones can be painted in absolutely different shades colors and even have mirror properties.

Amaryllis Avakian - There are lenses that correct myopia and presbyopia, but the comfort they provide is limited and should be used for short periods of time in social situations - restaurant dinners, parties, weddings - who do not want to attend wearing glasses. They are not indicated, for example, for people with low vision and near vision who want to wear them all day.

Amaryllis Avakian - There are other options. In some cases we have been able to correct a defect close in one eye and a defect in the other eye, but some people do not adapt to this type of intervention. Drausio - It seems strange if you look at it with one eye and another from afar. How does the brain understand these messages?

Regardless of the type of lenses you have, they should be carefully cared for and kept clean.

Lens kit

lenses;
container for them;
a liquid used to fill lens containers, such as artificial tears.

How to remove lenses correctly: advice from ophthalmologists

Wash your hands well. Don't forget that you will be touching the mucous membrane, which is extremely sensitive and can even become irritated by contact with sweat. Your hands should be free of any trace of foam or soap.
Preparing the container consists of filling both of its lens storage cells with a solution. Be sure to fill in a new solution each time you discard the used one.
In case your face is covered cosmetical tools, first remove your lenses and then wash off your makeup. This will prevent mascara remover from getting into your eyes, especially if it is water-resistant and may react with the lens material. In this case, you can damage the lenses, get irritated and cause injury to your eyes.
Place the container on a flat table surface, and sit in front of the table, resting your elbows on it. Direct your gaze to the upper right corner. Index and thumb Hold the eyelids of your left eye with your left hand. At the same time, using your index finger right hand touch the edge of the temple and grab the lens, being careful not to blink as you do so. Do not grab the lens with your fingernails. You can scratch your eye with them and damage the lens. In the future, this scratch will become a hindrance, irritating the eye.
Pull the lens in the direction from the pupil to the eyelid. Carefully remove it and lower it into the container with the poured solution, then immediately close it. The cover for the lens of the right eye is marked with the letter R, from the English right, the left one is not marked. This must be done especially in cases where the optical power of your eyes is different.
A similar operation is performed with the right eye. The eyelids are held with the left hand, the lens is pulled with the right. Do not forget to immediately place the second lick in the container, closing it tightly.

How to properly store lenses

Amaryllis Avakian - It seems strange, but experience shows that it is best alternative than bifocal contact lenses for some people, although others don't get used to it. Brain adaptation is not a major problem. It is more difficult at first, but by maintaining its use, it fits the new situation.

Amaryllis Avakian - There are situations when contact lenses are the best indicator. This refers to a person who has a very high degree in only one eye, or someone who has cataract surgery in one eye and does not receive a lens implant.

Removing contact lenses is no more difficult than putting them on, but for many first-time owners of these optical accessories, this procedure causes trembling anxiety. Don’t worry if you couldn’t remove the lenses from your eyes the first time (your finger slipped, the lens does not separate from the surface eyeball, eyes water, etc.) - this is absolutely normal initial stages their operation. Over time, you will learn how to remove lenses in a matter of seconds, and when you first get acquainted with them, follow the instructions, and you will not have any problems with removal.

If we prescribe glasses with very large differences in each lens, it will never be able to fit two images into the brain, and contact lenses will only be one solution to the problem. Another is a lens implant, if possible. Amaryllis Avakian - There are relative and absolute contraindications. Contact lenses cannot be used by people who have dry eyes, any eye allergies, or changes in the eyelids and corneas. They should not be used in highly contaminated environments or by people who engage in certain activities.

How to Remove Lenses from Your Eyes: A Complete Guide

Remember a few simple rules:

It is easier to remove lenses in a sitting position, with your elbows resting on a hard surface;
convenient to use a cosmetic mirror;
Provide bright but not glare lighting.

Another important rule is to remove lenses, just like putting them on, from the same eye each time, for example, from the right eye, and store the “right” and “left” ones in the corresponding compartments of the container. Despite the fact that outwardly the lenses seem exactly the same, the reliefs of the corneas of our eyes differ at the micro level, and if the lenses are confused, this will reduce their corrective qualities. You don't put your left shoe on right leg and vice versa? The same applies to medical accessories.

For example, contact lenses are not suitable for construction workers. Existing residues in the workplace and hands that are almost always contaminated greatly increase the likelihood of contamination. Amaryllis Avakian - The main condition is that the person is motivated to wear contact lenses. Then she needs to understand that contact lenses pose a potential hazard to the eyes. The cornea, located at the front of the eye, is a six-millimetre-thick membrane that is as clear as a watch glass, with no vessel on its surface, which causes light to drift and blurred vision.

We remove lenses according to all the rules: detailed instructions

Lenses should be removed only after thoroughly disinfecting your hands. Unfortunately, some lens wearers neglect this simple rules, which is why they subsequently suffer from eye infections. Wiping your hands with a damp cloth is not enough; using an alcohol-containing antibacterial gel is also unacceptable. Wash your hands under running water using antibacterial soap (liquid soap is best, as solid soap can leave residue on your fingertips). Dry your hands by wiping them with a paper or cloth towel. Terry towels are not suitable for this purpose, as lint can stick to your fingertips and cause discomfort when removing lenses.

The lack of blood vessels means that its nutrition occurs indirectly, that is, it captures oxygen and nutrients from distant vessels, air and the tear film that is distributed inside the eye when we blink. By placing a lens on the cornea, the action of the tear film is changed because the lens is a foreign object that prevents oxygen from contacting the cornea.

Draco: Should the tear pass between the cornea and the lens? Amaryllis Avakian - The tear must pass so that using the lens does not cause problems. If it does not go away, the cornea does not breathe and blood vessels appear, leaving it completely changed. A big problem is that these changes do not occur from one day to the next.

Before proceeding with removal, prepare the container. It should lie in close proximity filled with fresh solution.
People should know that ultimately, buying contact lenses from a store and using them without medical advice poses a great danger to your eyes. In fact, the use of chronic lenses reduces oxygenation of the cornea and can lead to ulcers or other changes leading to blindness.

Drausio: Have you ever seen this? In everyday practice, complications caused by people not being oriented as they should are very often observed. Drausio - What are the most common mistakes they make? Amaryllis Avakian - The first mistake is to buy a lens somewhere. The lens must be specified by a doctor, who must adapt it to the user's eyes. For example, a lens that works for me may not work for you.

Fix the lower eyelid with the pad of your middle finger, pulling it down.
Using the index finger of your other hand, slowly touch your eye, aiming for the bottom edge of the lens until you touch the surface of the lens. Do not do it sudden movements— if you are just learning how to handle lenses, haste is not the best assistant.
Place your finger on the bottom of the lens and gradually move it along with the lens towards the eyelid. When the edge of the lens moves below the pupil, pinch it with your thumb and forefinger and carefully remove it. Experienced lens wearers, especially those who long nails, they manage to pick them up without moving the lens below the pupil, but it is better not to practice this method - it is very easy to damage the inner surface of the accessory.
Place the lens in the center of your palm and clean it with a special solution (see below for instructions on cleaning lenses).

In addition, the lens does not distribute periodic control. It is wrong for anyone to think that it can take 10 years without returning to the doctor who adapted the lens. Consultations should be repeated every six months to ensure that use of the lens does not cause any adverse effects on the eye.

Another error occurs when cleaning the lens if the manufacturer's specifications are not followed. Amaryllis Avakian - Many do this due to lack of leadership. Contact lenses should be removed before going to bed. If during the day when the eyes are open they are already reducing the oxygenation of the cornea, imagine at night with the eyelids closed. Even disposable ones, which provide greater oxygen permeability, do not solve the problem, because there is nothing better than leaving the cornea to avoid problems.

It is easier to bring the lens removal procedure to automaticity if you do not focus your gaze on the pads of your fingers. Before removing your lenses, look ahead and gently place your finger near your eye;
Long nails, especially pointed ones, can damage not only the fragile lens, but also the ultra-sensitive surface of the eyeball. You can make the removal process easier if you lightly moisten your fingers with the solution in which you store the lenses;
Using lenses for many hours often causes discomfort: it may seem that they are imprinted on the surface of the eye. It is more difficult to remove lenses after wearing them for many hours due to dry corneas. In this case, regular eye drops will help - use them before removing your lenses. A special moisturizing gel is also suitable - some lens manufacturers recommend it along with their main products. Before removing the lenses, make several circular movements with your eyes - the eye drops will “envelop” the surface of the lens and it will come off easily.
You should remove contact lenses before removing eye makeup. Ideally, if you use pencil, mascara and eyeliner, you should choose these cosmetic products as carefully as possible - they should be as hypoallergenic as possible, preferably organic. During lens use, tiny particles of mascara or eyeliner become lodged in the space between the eyelid and the eyeball, and since there is a lens on the eyeball, they are not removed naturally (with tears).
Some contact lens manufacturers produce special accessories to make them easier to remove. They are small suction cups on sticks that are applied to the lens material. Suction cups for removing lenses will come in handy on the road or in other cases when complete hand disinfection is not possible. Such accessories are suitable for both soft and hard lenses.

Features of storing reusable lenses

If you prefer to use disposable lenses, the question of their further fate after removal is irrelevant - you just need to throw them away. But more functional reusable contact lenses require regular care. Many owners of such accessories are mistaken, believing that after removal they can simply be placed in a container with a special solution.

Amaryllis Avakian - There are solutions for cleaning every type of lens sold in pharmacies, and they must be immersed in these products overnight. For one-time items that will be exchanged in fifteen or thirty days, this is sufficient. Those that will be used throughout the year require special attention. In addition to removing debris that adheres to the lenses, it is necessary to deproteinize, that is, remove protein deposits every seven or fifteen days, depending on the type of lens.

Another important measure is to clean the case in which they are stored, which must be changed every six months. Research suggests that eye complications, such as corneal ulcers or serious infections, were caused by a microorganism present in the case where the lens was placed.

Contact lens care liquid is a suspension of surfactants (surfactants) that remove protein particles from the surface of lenses and preservatives in distilled water. This solution performs two main functions - cleaning and disinfection. Exist as liquids universal type, which are suitable for both soft and hard lenses, as well as solutions tailored for a specific type of lens (spherical, toric, multifocal, etc.).
How do they form deposits in the lens? Amaryllis Avakian - The tear causes proteins to deposit in the eye and they attach to the lens. Daily cleaning of the product sold in pharmacies removes only oil and contaminant particles. Protein deposits must be removed using a special substance.

Drausio - And many people put on and take off the lens without taking care of hand hygiene. Amaryllis Avakian: Correct. Lens wearers should keep their nails short, trimmed, wash their hands, and never use tap water to clean the lens.

However, even the use of a high-quality solution does not eliminate the need for mechanical cleaning of reusable lenses. The reason is on inner surface accessories, over time, a protein coating accumulates, which not only complicates its fixation, but is also a breeding ground for bacteria. With simple daily manipulations, you can remove up to 90% of plaque.

Amaryllis Avakian - The one day lens should be changed every day, but people end up overusing it and using it for days. This surveillance is the cause of many complications. Drausio - Are these daily lens changes expensive? Amaryllis Avakian - Depending on the brand, daily exchange lenses cost approximately two hundred reais per month.

Drausio - How much do longer lasting lenses cost? In general, a person needs to buy two boxes, one for each eye, so they purchase lenses for six months of use. Using contact lenses cannot blur your vision, nor can they cause tearing, redness, or other changes such as itching, burning, and discharge.

Wash your hands thoroughly with unscented antibacterial soap and dry. It is better to dry your hands with a paper towel, not a lint one - if microparticles of lint stick to the surface of the lens, they will be very difficult to remove.
Rinse the compartments of your contact lens case and fill them with fresh solution.
Place the lens in the center of your palm and pour a small amount of solution onto it (it is convenient to use a pipette for this purpose). Gently pinch it with your large index finger with your other hand and rub lightly to remove protein deposits. Then rinse the lens with the solution from the dropper and return it to the container.

Video - Care of contact lenses. Caring for your lens case

Any of these symptoms is a sign that you should immediately seek medical attention. Some people cannot wear contact lenses due to their own anatomical characteristics of the eyes or because they will not be able to take care of their consumption. For this reason, contact lenses should not be given to children. Amaryllis Avakian - Colored lenses damage the eyes just like other lenses. Even if they do not have a degree and only correspond to an aesthetic feature, they must be adapted to the doctor's eyes by a doctor and require special supervision.

They can spread, especially if a person sleeps with them and does not follow the times specified for removal or lens cleaning conditions. Amaryllis Avakian - No anti-allergy lenses, although daily lenses have significantly reduced incidence of allergies to the lens itself or to cleaning products.

How to care for the container?

When caring for reusable contact lenses according to all the rules, you should not forget about the “house” for them. Over time, pathogenic bacteria can accumulate on the walls of the container, as well as on the surface of the lenses, which spread to the accessory itself. After putting on the lenses, you should not leave the used liquid in the container - it must be emptied and dried.

There are many reasons for getting red eyes after wearing contact lenses and noticing which reasons can help prevent the problem. When you start wearing contact lenses, you may feel uncomfortable if you are not used to it. However, if you get red eyes after wearing contact lenses, this is not normal and should be seen.

Here are some possible explanations. If you have sensitive eyes, they may be irritated by the saline solution you use or by the lenses themselves, another reason could be an allergy to the lenses or the solution in which it is supported. Ask your doctor and try different brands. Likewise, using eye drops for sensitive eyes with your contact lenses can prevent the problem. Some contact lenses are designed specifically for sensitive eyes, and you may have better luck with them.

drain the used solution;
rinse the compartments of the container with a special disinfectant liquid;
Place the container upside down on a paper towel.

If your contact lenses have worn out, they can cause problems for your eyes, particularly dryness. It is very important to wash your hands thoroughly before removing your contact lenses. Otherwise, you are introducing bacteria into your eyes every time you remove your lenses. Likewise, you should be sure to thoroughly clean and detoxify your contact lenses.

The problem may be caused by poor maintenance and storage of contact lenses. Improper storage can cause debris to form on the lens and may cause eye irritation. Review your contact lens practice with your eye doctor to see if you're doing anything wrong.

You should not use tap water to rinse the container - instead of disinfecting, you will fill it with new bacteria. It should also be remembered that the container for storing lenses, like toothbrush, it is advisable to change it periodically, because even with regular cleaning it is impossible to completely remove all bacteria.

What are the dangers of improper use of contact lenses?

Failure to comply with hygienic nuances when putting on and removing lenses, untimely replacement of storage fluid and containers, and neglect to regularly clean the lenses themselves can cause a number of complications. Deterioration of vision in this case is due to the following factors:

Some people's eyes produce more tears than others, and if their eyes don't produce enough, then their eyes may become very dry when they wear contacts. Dry eye is a chronic condition in which the eye produces much less moisture than normal.

Avoid wearing contact lenses for more than six hours - remove them and replace them with your glasses as soon as you return from work. It may also help to remove contact lenses before removing them. Good way Avoid this by using eye drops to provide more moisture to your eyes. You may also have a chronic infection such as blepharitis, and this can make your eyes more sensitive and more prone to dryness. See your doctor and they may recommend using a warm compress or other things depending on your situation.

infection getting into the tissues of the eye due to careless removal or putting on of lenses;
the presence of individual intolerance to the components of the disinfectant solution;
hypoxia caused by insufficient gas permeability of the lens material (especially often observed when wearing cheap Chinese-made products).

The symptoms described below are not always a consequence of improper use of the lenses, but if any of them appear, it is better not to delay a visit to the ophthalmologist. Self-medicating (especially folk remedies) and at the same time continuing to wear lenses, you risk acquiring serious problems with vision.

A feeling of constant dryness of the eyeball, accompanied by a burning sensation. It is caused by difficulty in the formation of the tear film, which is a natural moisturizer of the eye tissue.

What are the dangers of improper use of contact lenses?	Description and recommendations
Increased sensitivity of the eye to light (photophobia)	Often caused by bacterial keratitis - a consequence of infections entering the eye tissue. Treatment of keratitis is quite lengthy and expensive. Another insidious infectious disease is acanthamoeba. Its development is caused by the entry of the Acanthamoeba microorganism, whose habitat is tap water, into tissues. This is why it is so important not to use tap water for regular lens care, and also be sure to remove lenses when swimming in a pool or open water.
Severe lacrimation accompanied by burning or pain in the eyeball	The reason for this is often a chemical burn of the eye tissues, caused by exposure to individual components of the lens care solution (most often hydrogen peroxide). To avoid chemical burns, it is important to choose a high-quality solution suitable specifically for a specific type of lens.
Gradual decrease in visual acuity caused by deformation of the cornea due to too long use of contact lenses (especially decorative ones)	You can restore its original shape if you give up the accessory for at least six months
Severe redness of the tissues of the eye	This symptom may be caused by allergic or immune reactions to the lens material or the accumulation of protein or lipid deposits on the inner surface of the lenses (which is a direct consequence of ignoring regular cleaning).