Helping DD with contacts for the first time

[lovetoscrap]

DD15 got contacts to try yesterday and she really liked them. BUT, she can't get them in or out! They had her take them out and put them in before we left the dr. office but once home it took her over an hour and a half to get them out last night and her eyes were very red and sore. Today she couldn't get them in. She did finally get one in but it was inside out and then she couldn't get it out. I ended up having to get it out for her. And again her eyes were all red and sore from the attempts.

I had contacts for years but had to give them up about 15 years ago. These new disposable contacts are so thin and flimsy that they are a pain. I sure don't remember contacts being like that 30 years ago and I don't remember having this much trouble at the beginning.

Any tips or advice? She can't keep her eye open, and when she does and she gets the contact near the darn thing folds up on itself or backwards on her finger. She did get it almost in a few times but it stuck to her finger and she couldn't get it to stay. When she pulls her finger away the contact is still on it.

DD19 also tried contacts a few years ago and had the same problems so she gave up after a few days. This daughter is DETERMINED to make this work, she hates wearing glasses. I am hoping someone has some tips or tricks to make the easier.

 

[sam_gordon]

I don't remember when I first got contact, but I do remember when DD got hers. She also had to insert and remove them at the doctor's office, then had trouble at home. For DD at least "practice makes perfect". The first day took her an hour or so, the next day I don't think she even got them in. It took about a week or so until she was "fluent".

As far as suggestions, try for 15 minutes (or any given time), then take a break. Try again. If unsuccessful, take a break. Of course, you need to allow time to do all this. So if she's currently in school, she might want to wait until school lets out so she doesn't have the pressure of "I have to be ready by 'x' time!".

 

[Laura66]

DD15 got contacts to try yesterday and she really liked them. BUT, she can't get them in or out! They had her take them out and put them in before we left the dr. office but once home it took her over an hour and a half to get them out last night and her eyes were very red and sore. Today she couldn't get them in. She did finally get one in but it was inside out and then she couldn't get it out. I ended up having to get it out for her. And again her eyes were all red and sore from the attempts.

I had contacts for years but had to give them up about 15 years ago. These new disposable contacts are so thin and flimsy that they are a pain. I sure don't remember contacts being like that 30 years ago and I don't remember having this much trouble at the beginning.

Any tips or advice? She can't keep her eye open, and when she does and she gets the contact near the darn thing folds up on itself or backwards on her finger. She did get it almost in a few times but it stuck to her finger and she couldn't get it to stay. When she pulls her finger away the contact is still on it.

DD19 also tried contacts a few years ago and had the same problems so she gave up after a few days. This daughter is DETERMINED to make this work, she hates wearing glasses. I am hoping someone has some tips or tricks to make the easier.

Too much finger on them!
I love the daily contacts! Soooo much more comfortable and sterile!
Make sure she uses lots of saline when putting them in- a tacky contact sticks to your finger. And put some rewetting drops in your eye before you remove them!

 

[Lynne M]

Too much finger on them!
I love the daily contacts! Soooo much more comfortable and sterile!
Make sure she uses lots of saline when putting them in- a tacky contact sticks to your finger. And put some rewetting drops in your eye before you remove them!

Yes, this. Exactly.

Have her set up the contact on her finger, and then drown it in solution. It needs to be really wet. It holds its shape better that way. When she puts it in her eye, tell her to use a really, really light touch. There's some suction created when the solution and the lens touches her eye - let the suction do the work of pulling the lens onto her eye. She doesn't need to press it on. If she presses, it'll just turn inside out and stick to her finger. Just get the lens very close, barely touching, until she feels it 'catch' on the eye and start to pull away from her finger. Then slowly, gently take her finger away and blink.

Rewetting drops are very important when you take lenses out. She should lightly put her finger on the lens, and slide it to the side a little, until the suction breaks. Then it's easy to take out.

Don't let her keep fighting with it out of frustration, especially if her eyes are red and sore. You don't want her to end up with a corneal abrasion. Whether you're putting lenses in or taking them out, a light touch is everything. If you're too rough with them, it makes it so much harder to get them in.

And taking a day off isn't a bad idea. She'll get there, it just takes time and practice.

 

[Ceila]

DD had a miserable time getting used to putting them in as well. I ended up doing it for her quite a few times that first week.

One problem she had was the method they had her use to open her eye. Have her try different ways of holding her lids open. And the advice about making sure the lens is wet enough it spot on.

Good luck - she WILL get the hang of it soon, although when you're in the midst of the frustration it seems like it will go on forever.

 

[fly girl]

Lynne M is spot on!

As I have been wearing contacts for 28 years, here are my personal tweaks.

1. DO NOT look in the mirror! It is a distraction. Look at your contact when putting it in.

2. For some reason my left eye doesn't like the normal way you take out a contact. I put my left index finger by the outside corner of my eye, pull it towards my ear and blink/squint. The contact pops out! That's how I did it with gas permable years ago, I guess my left eye misses the good 'ol days.

If she gets frustrated, take a break. Good luck!

 

[mom2rtk]

Good luck to her! I remember my daughter had a very hard time with hers in the early days but it's second nature now.

 

[zoemurr]

Different brands also are different. When my DS first got his the lens was very flimsy. I asked for a different brand and it was just a tiny bit thicker. He had an easier time with those. Make sure she has no nails and is putting it on the very tip of her finger, just barely there. I wet my eye a tiny bit and make sure my finger is dry. It will stick to the wetter environment.

It really does just take practice. Good luck!

 

[HM]

My son never could get a hang of it and gave up. He has always been very sensitive to things being near his eyes and blinks every time he gets his finger anywhere close. It was nearly impossible for him to do. He tried for two hours at the eye doctor, finally got one in and they gave him the presciption. I don't think he every accomplished it at home.

 

[MickeySP]

The ones I have you don't need to change for 30 days. Is this an option?

Also does she have long nails? I have a harder time when nails are long. You also can tell if they are right side out by holding them up and seeing how concave they are

 

[MattsPrincess]

I struggled at first too, but agree with the PP's sentiments of practice makes perfect, as well as take breaks every so often to avoid irritation.

You mentioned she has problems with them being inside out. You can generally tell before you put them in. When you hold it on your finger tip, hold it up to the light and look at it. If it looks like a bowl, it's right. If the edges are flared out a bit, or look like they're pointing out or down, it's inside out.

Definitely play around with how she holds her lid open. The way the doctor showed me has never worked for me, I found my own way. I've found it's easiest to use the middle finger of the opposite hand for my top lid, and the middle finger of the applying hand (with the lens on the index) for my bottom lid.

Agree with the "light touch" suggestions. The lens should be at the very tip of the applying finger, and she should be just barely touching the lens to her eye. Like it was said, there is a suction. Gently place it, and slightly roll the eye around. Will probably both hear and feel the air bubble popping (which means the lens has settled onto the eye), and THEN blink. If she blinks before that air bubble is gone, it will pop out or fold in half.

It can be very frustrating at first, and I nearly gave up. I'm glad I didn't though.

 

[Meriweather]

My DD couldn't manage them either (in her teens). She gave up and wore her glasses until she was in her 20s and then tried again.

 

[whitney250]

This has always worked for me, and I've had contacts since I was 13

Putting them in: Have her rinse them down with solution really well first. Then look up as much as you can without tilting your head back. Put the contact on the "white part" of the eye, it will move into the correct position on its own when she looks straight.

Taking out: wash hands, touch the lens and look up without tilting head, slide contact down and out of the eye

It will take a little while, but her eyes will get less sensitive to being touched, and it will get much easier.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I have never had them but DD17 got them last year and it took a little while, but soon she was a pro at getting them in and out. Big thing is she tries not to fall asleep with them in because they hurt if she does, and last week she opened her eyes under water in a pool and they were sore for a while, too. So she's learning as she goes. Another thing is she seems to wait too long to order them when she needs new ones - start the ordering process early.

I probably would have had her take a day off if her eyes were "red and sore" because going into an irritated eye can't be good, and irritation seems to be one of the biggest hurdles. See how her eyes are today and after she gets them out tonight, but if they're red and sore (which I hope they aren't) maybe skip a day. Also make sure hands are freshly cleaned before putting them in or taking them out. Good luck!

 

[slo]

I'm loving this thread because my 16yr old is getting contacts soon and I can have her read all your posts.

My 11yr old is also going to need them ASAP.
We just found out she can't see far well at all, and she'll need contacts for softball.
I can also have her read all your suggestions.

Thanks OP for posting this, because it's going to help me too
(I don't know if my girls will have problems, but I'm assuming they will have some challenges with them in the beginning).

 

[mom2rb]

For both of my boys and for a few of the girls that I coach, I put them in and took them out for the first week. After that they would take them out themselves for a week and then start putting them in themselves too. If it took them longer than 5 minutes after that, I would still do it for them. It was easier and less frustrating for them. I remember waking up an hour early for school for the first few months that I had contacts. It was such a pain.

 

[Pembo]

DD, 12, just got them a few weeks ago. It just takes patience and practice. That first week it took her 20 mins to get them in or out. Every day it was a little better and now, minutes.

For her, she wasn't holding her top eyelid open to get them in. The drop of saline on the lens helped too. Also not sure how they taught her but dd needed to use a different hand for each lens. I do the same. Taking them out, they taught her the pinch method. I just pull down on mine. She will get it, it just takes practice.

 

[rwdavis2]

I used to put mine on the lower part of the eye and slid them up. I never put them directly onto the middle of the eye.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

Ive had my contacts for years.
DS and DD were both 9 yo when they got contacts for the first time.
It took about a week for them to get really good at putting them in and out.

DS is 16 now , DD is 11 and they are pretty much pros at it.

Tell your DD not to get frustrated. Practice makes perfect. The disposibles are thin and flimsy but as a pp said, I love them. My daughter and I wear dailys . DS and DH wear monthlys.

 

[elaine amj]

My DH gave up lol. He was horrible at it.

I find I need to wet my eye before putting them in (just a quick splash of water from the tap) and then I can insert them easily. Practice makes perfect