[Closed] Any advice for trying contact lens for the first time?

Didn’t find it a nice experience myself and went back to glasses apart from when playing football. You do get used to putting them in after a few goes it’s getting them out that’s a pain in the backside. Ask for a free trial before you splash out

Tried it last year after having to start wearing glasses, the optician put my lenses in the first time and made me have a couple of goes before she let me take them away. Iirc you need to have a separate eye test anyway and as mentioned above get a free trial.

I soon got used to putting them in but getting them out can be a pain, I stopped wearing them towards the end of the trial after not being able to get either of them out and causing myself a load of pain. I now just stick to glasses, I've got a pair of vairifocals I wear day to day and a pair of single vision Oakley's for riding and running.

If you don't feel comfortable even thinking about it, then it might just not be for you. Best advice is to give them a try, realise you won't go blind by touching your eye, practise good hygiene and see how you get on.

Source: Been wearing contacts, of one type or another, for 20 years.

What Jamie said. There are no nerves in the eyeball itself so touching the eye doesn’t hurt. Any itching or scratching you may feel will be your eyelids.

I sometimes struggle to get mine in early in the morning, but mine are two different types, one a toric, which is stiffer and holds its shape, but is difficult to balance on the fingertip, the other is a regular lens which sticks to the fingertip, but has a tendency to fold back easily. Getting them out I find fairly easy, unless I’ve had them in for a long time and my eyes have got dry. You do get used to putting them in, having a finger close to the eye, pretty quickly, the one big difference is the use of single solution sterilising; when I started, must be thirty years ago, the sterilisation used a hydrogen peroxide sterilising solution then a neutralising solution, and it was easy to forget to empty the peroxide away and put in the neutraliser. Actually, you only forgot to do it once...

Give it a go, modern monthly disposables are very easy to get on with, but if you can afford them daily disposables do away with all the cleaning issues, and if one gives you a problem during the day, just carry a pair of glasses and dump the lenses.

I'm an optician's nightmare- squamish about touching eyes and very sensitive eyes as well. I still remember a trial with contacts which felt like sandpapering my eyeballs. Very soft lenses with a high water content are good for me, and I've been on disposables for more than ten years now. It's well worth persisting for sport

I don’t think anyone likes having their eyeballs touched, but lenses are so much nicer than glasses - especially if you cycle (I’ve hear its a popular pastime with some on here).

Been using them since the 90s and after a few weeks, putting them in and indeed, taking them out is something I don’t even think about... Only thing I’d say, is if the first type aren’t comfortable, try some others, they can be quite different. The brand that most (IME) opticians recommend, I don’t get on with.

It isn't nice- don't expect it to be nice, you're sticking a bit of plastic into your actual eye, ew. Just be realistic about that, and you're more likely to get it done.

Also, don't ask internet randoms for advice, your optician should baby step you through it. I had a total disaster the first time and I just said, nope, not happening today, let's try again- and we did, and it was grand.

took me a week or so to get used to fitting/removal of the lenses... became 2nd nature after a while, because you are not really poking around yer eyball...LOL...

Specsavers do have a FREE trial for lenses, I just pay £20 for a contact lens eye test and then get my prescription filled online for a damn sight cheaper...., and Morrison's sell saline solution for a few quid per 360ml bottle....

Had great experience with my local Specsavers.

Examination & consult included being shown how to put in & remove, then had to do myself  before I was allowed to leave with lenses. Trialled daily ones with high moisture content but dried my eyes out too much so they redid the trial with monthlies. I had their direct debit plan for a year then sacked that off & now but online for 1/3rd of price.

I struggled most with removal. Oddly enough I can put both in with my right hand but have to take left one out with left hand.

Took about a month to get used to them, couldn’t do without now.

I started using contacts last year, my optician was really good, as above he put them in the first time then I had to show I could put them in and remove them ok before I could be sent away with any lenses.

I use daily disposables as they are mainly for cycling.

You do get used to what works best for you how to put them, it did take me a couple of goes the first few times but now it's 2nd nature same for removal, easy once you learn what works for you.

Wearing them now for 30 odd years... Have a Good practice with the optician in the surgery then if it all goes well, get into a routine at home. Soft lenses are comfy and IMHO, because they are flexible helps get them out. I use a vertical pinch between index fingers personally.

Dont worry about them disappearing from the front of your eye because they will, if you rub your eye, but they do reappear easily. Otherwise I would have lost a whole stash by now.

properly transforms sight during sports. After practice, I can pop them out as a passenger in a moving car or out on a ride night or day. Windy days are the worst for getting them back in.

As everyone has said, your optician will ensure you know how to put them in.  It will be uncomfortable at first but if comfort does not improve, they can change the brand.

Couple of tips, look straight at the mirror, I find its harder if I lower my head to put the lenses in.  I often drip some saline from the pack into the lens, as soon as it touches your eye it should go in, if I've had a couple of goes without success I will gently hold it against my eye whilst looking up/down.  Also I will re-moisten the lens between attempts, if I've been faffing I will moisten both sides to stop it curling up.

And of course, always wash hands, and always take them out before showering/swimming etc, I know lots of people chance it and get away with it, but its a bad habit to get into as bacteria can breed in the lens.

I used to wear lenses 7 days a week and 10 hours a day; they were actually meant to be lenses you could leave in for ages (can't remember if it was a week or a month.  Due to dry eyes I would remove them each evening.  However, I sort of regret it know as after several years I have signs of over-wear (blood vessels started growing in the whites of my eyes) so I would suggest not wearing them too much.  I know only wear mine when I'm doing a full day on the bike, whereas if I'd restricted use and wore my glasses a couple of time a week I reckon I could still wear them a bit more often than I do now.

I had my first contacts age 60. 4 years ago. Initially concerned about the ridiculous concept of touching my eyeballs but took to it without an issue.

I use monthly hydrogel ones from Specsavers, reading in one eye, distance in the other so I don't need glasses when they're in.  Highly recommended.

First 2 days of wearing them I kept thinking my dad was looking at me when I saw my face in a reflection or mirror - was off-putting for a bit.

I have slightly difference prescription in either eye so had to get 2 different prescriptions - left eye was for closer up, right eye for distance - I was told to wear then for a half day first time, then 3/4 day next time and then a full day and then see how I get on. I lasted about 5 days but then my eyes started hurting and they wouldn't stop. Optician called me on the 5th day as a follow-up before ordering the full month's supply and when I told him that he said to stop using them - I've got drier eyes than most (apparently) and he reckoned if I kept using them I'd probably give myself a real sore one.

Whilst wearing them the first 2 days were weird, but 3rd-5th I started liking not having glasses on, but the sore eyes have put me right off them once again.

Inserting and removing was a bit strange but again, by the 4th day I was fine. Make sure lens (and finger) is very moist so when the lens goes in your eye it leaves the finger easily and gets placed quickly.

Give them a bash, if they don't work you can go back to your glasses.

Oh, and don't go to Vision Express. They're shit. You never get the same optician twice and when they screw up your prescription they try to blame you.

Try daily disposable lenses ..less faff than going through all that sterilising malarky and more hygienic anyway with a fresh pair every day ..

Funnily enough it only occurred to me recently the consequences of flushing the used ones down the loo ( plastic pollution )..so as daft as it sounds I now put them in the recycling bin!

Optical Express are pretty good ..

Been wearing soft contacts for almost 30 years here,

i can see better with them than I can with glasses.

a good optician will take you through the whole process re putting them in, taking them out and cleaning, it’s not difficult, but does need a little practice.

i drive a long distance coach, and much prefer contacts for work as long distance vision is so much better than glasses.

as some have noted above, they don’t work for everyone, but it's worth persevering imo.

plus, they make buying some nice sunglasses a lot easier.

it'll be very uncomfortable the first time but as times goes by your eyes will get used to it. Make sure to clean it thoroughly after using it dust particles are painful and can cause infection and store it in a fresh solution or better yet use a disposable one

Been using them for over 20 years, daily disposables with high moisture are the most comfortable i found (acuvue moist).

If you're squeamish it can be an effort, but (easy to say) try to relax.

My biggest worry was always getting them out, since you might be removing them due to irritation. If you're truly up the creek, it can be easiest to dislodge them by letting the cold tap run gently across your eye (obviously NOT directly into the eye).

Opticians twitch at this, but in reality most folks get water in their eyes when they shower, so I dont see it as any bigger risk.