A stuck contact lens, usually one that has dried out or become slightly dislodged, can be an alarming sensation. A contact lens cannot physically slide behind your eyeball due to the conjunctiva, a protective membrane covering the white of the eye and lining the inside of the eyelids. Most instances of a stuck lens result from insufficient moisture or the lens moving off the central cornea. They are almost always resolvable safely at home with patience and the right approach.
Essential Preparation Steps
Before touching your eye or the lens, a thorough handwashing procedure is necessary to prevent introducing bacteria or foreign particles. Use soap and water, lathering for at least twenty seconds, then dry your hands completely with a clean, lint-free towel. This prevents transference of infectious agents and ensures your fingertips have enough grip.
Set up a well-lit area in front of a mirror to clearly visualize the lens’s position. You should have sterile saline solution or contact lens rewetting drops readily available. Never use tap water, as it contains microorganisms that can cause serious eye infections. Lubricating drops are designed to rehydrate the lens, while saline is primarily for rinsing the eye’s surface.
Techniques for a Dried or Immobile Lens
The most common reason a lens feels stuck is that it has dried out, adhering tightly to the cornea, often after a long day of wear or sleeping in lenses. The initial focus must be on rehydrating the lens to restore its flexibility and allow it to move freely. Apply three to five drops of rewetting solution or sterile saline directly onto the lens while looking up, then close your eye for a few minutes. This allows the lens material to absorb moisture and loosen its grip on the cornea.
After the lens rehydrates, gently blink several times to help it shift position. If the lens is centered but still immobile, close your eye and softly massage your upper eyelid in a circular motion until the lens begins to move. Once the lens is slightly displaced, open your eye and use the standard removal technique, such as the pinch method, to lift it off the surface of the eye. For rigid gas permeable (RGP) lenses, avoid eyelid massage, as the lens’s firmer structure could scratch the cornea. Instead, gently press on the sclera next to the lens’s edge to break the suction.
Locating and Removing Displaced Lenses
When a lens is “stuck” but not dry, it has typically moved off the central cornea and lodged under an eyelid, which is often a very uncomfortable sensation. To locate a lens under the upper lid, look down toward your nose while gently lifting the upper eyelid. If the lens is under the lower lid, look up and pull the lower lid down to see the lens resting on the white of the eye.
Once the displaced lens is located, apply more rewetting drops to lubricate the eye and encourage the lens to float back toward the center. You can use your fingertip to gently guide the lens back over the cornea, but ensure you only touch the lens on the white of the eye to avoid irritating the sensitive cornea. If the lens is trapped beneath an eyelid, try looking in the direction opposite to the displacement; for example, if the lens is under the upper lid, look down while gently massaging the closed lid to coax the lens into view. Avoid any forceful rubbing of the eye, as this can cause a painful corneal abrasion.
When to Seek Professional Help
While most stuck lenses can be removed at home, certain signs indicate the need for immediate consultation with an eye care professional. Stop attempting removal and contact your optometrist or ophthalmologist if you cannot locate the lens after multiple gentle attempts. Also seek help if you suspect the lens has torn and a piece remains in your eye. Continued removal efforts increase the risk of injury or infection.
Seek professional help if you experience severe or persistent pain, excessive redness, significant light sensitivity, or discharge after removing the lens. These symptoms may suggest a corneal abrasion or the beginning of an eye infection, requiring professional diagnosis and treatment, potentially including antibiotic drops. Even if the lens is out, persistent blurred vision or a lingering foreign body sensation warrants a check-up to ensure the eye’s surface is undamaged.