How to remove hard contacts (gas permeable)

What are hard contact lenses?

Hard contact lenses are made from rigid plastic materials, giving them the hard feel when worn. Despite their rigidity, the lenses are designed to still provide for greater comfort for the wearer by letting oxygen flow freely to the corneas. Hard contacts are intentionally designed this way, so that they retain their shape when worn, as opposed to soft contact lenses, which conform to the surface of the eye. Typically, hard contact lenses are prescribed to patients with specific needs to correct their vision, such for people with severe astigmatism.

Thanks to the rigid plastic materials that hard contact lenses are made out of, hard contact lenses not only retain their shape while worn, but also make the lenses more durable and extend the useful life of the contact lenses. It is also because of their rigidity that they are easier to remove than soft contact lenses.

How to remove hard contact lenses step by step

Though hard contact lenses may require greater care and be less comfortable than other types of lenses, they are very easy to remove. There are a few different ways how to take out hard contact lenses.

The first way you can try to remove your lens is by blinking them out of your eye. To blink the lenses off of your eye, follow the steps below:

• The first step when removing your contact lenses is always to thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water and dry them off with a clean towel.
• Use your middle finger to create tension in your eyelid by pulling on the outer corner of your eye.
• While pulling back on the edge of your eye, position your other hand under your eye and look straight forward.
• Blink while pulling on your eyelids and your lens should come out by itself. If the lens does not pop out at first, keep trying until it comes out on its own.
• Catch the lens in your left hand or place a clean towel on a flat surface under your eyes and let the contacts fall onto it.

The second way you can use to try to remove your contact lenses is by gently removing them from your eye with your fingers. To remove the lenses with your fingers, carefully follow the steps below:

• As always, thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water, and dry them off with a clean towel.
• Use the middle finger of your dominant hand to pull against your upper eyelid.
• With the middle and index finger of your other hand pull against your bottom eyelid.
• Then, you can either pull the eyelids away from your nose, pushing the eyelids across your eye or push eyelids toward each other across the eye.
• These actions should both cause the lens to easily pop out of your eye.

As you first start to wear contact lenses, putting them in and taking them out can be a challenge, so before you order your contacts online, take the opportunity at your next fitting to speak with your OD about proper insertion and removal of the lenses. Once you’ve consulted with your doctor, order contacts online with insurance, and have them shipped right to your door!