First time for contacts - need advice

sentient_6

So i'm just back from the most frustrating experience of my life in specsavers. I was hoping to start using contacts because i've taken up rugby & all though my eyesight isnt terrible, its not great either.

I just couldn't get the flaming thing into my eye. My blinking reflex is really strong. I'm so annoyed with myself i'm tempted to throw in the towel already & just put up with not wearing glasses when training.

I'm not sure what i can do to try get used to idea of pratically sticking my finger in my eye? I swear i blink just thinking about it.

Daisies

What I find helps people is if you can practise touching the white of your eye to get used to keeping your eyes open. It helps if you look in one direction and touch the opposite corner.
Always try to keep both eyes open (easier said than done I know). Think like a girl when they're putting on mascara, if the mouth is relaxed, the eyelids are more relaxed. So I suggest to people to blow out of their mouth very gently to help keep the mouth and eyes relaxed

Hope this helps. Don't give up just yet

inspired38

There are lots of good videos on youtube on how to put in contact lenses. It would appear that you had a bad experience with your appointment. It may be no harm to call them again or another optician in your area and explain your frustartion to them. If you ask all opticians, they would say that too many people do not give contacts a chance because of this initial frustartion. Get in touch with another optician or look at you tube

NDB

Be patient with it. I really struggled at first but once you get used to it you will really see the benefits. It does get easier with time and practice

gonedrinking

does anyone put in lenses by tilting their head upwards so they are looking at the ceiling? I think this way could be easier but the optician was telling me to look in the mirror when I'm doing it which means my head is always tilted down a bit, but I think looking up and not using a mirror might be easier? anyone do it that way?

Johnnybr

Have a go at the Clariti 1 Day ones, its the most advance material out there, once you get them in you can hardly feel them in there...There is a little device you can get to help you remove lenses, i used it before and found it pretty useless, I think your better just getting the hang of it yourself

sentient_6

Thanks for the replies. I'm actually taking myself to another optician later this week & until then i'll be trying touching the whites of my eyes etc. What bothers about specsavers is 30e for a practise session. I know they're still providing a service but if its not working for me a don't want to spend another 30 to go back & try again, & potentially another 30..... Least this other private/local/not a chain/whatever optician is slightly cheaper.

Daisies

sentient_6 wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. I'm actually taking myself to another optician later this week & until then i'll be trying touching the whites of my eyes etc. What bothers about specsavers is 30e for a practise session. I know they're still providing a service but if its not working for me a don't want to spend another 30 to go back & try again, & potentially another 30..... Least this other private/local/not a chain/whatever optician is slightly cheaper.

Specsavers won't charge you another €30. The whole thing including your follow up check a week after you start using the contacts is €30. As many practise sessions that are needed are included in the €30

sentient_6

Daisies wrote: »

Specsavers won't charge you another €30. The whole thing including your follow up check a week after you start using the contacts is €30. As many practise sessions that are needed are included in the €30

Ah for **** sake nice of them to tell me of that fact. Rang them there & i'm going back tommorrow so. Thanks for letting me know.

Daisies

sentient_6 wrote: »

Ah for **** sake nice of them to tell me of that fact. Rang them there & i'm going back tommorrow so. Thanks for letting me know.

No problem but the €30 will cover you. Hope you get the hang of it this time

ednwireland

just in case this might a help when i started with contact lenses they sat me in front of a standard mirror i spent an hour trying to get them in, they were just about to give up and i dont know if it was me or the optician but they had a magnifying mirror, once i used that i could see what i was doing and in they popped.

just a thought

now i dont even need a mirror

will1569reptile

Omg its like this post was made for me. i have the excat same problem and i gave up so i bought stupid gogles i spent €150 on them and im too embaresed to were them so iv deicded to give contacts anorther go.

have you had any look tryna get them in?

any advice for me?

Mint Sauce

be patient with it guys, first few times i tried was nearly so frustrated that i nearly threw to contacts/mirror across the room



if your having difficulties, give your eyes a rest for a while from the poking, and go back to it, the more you try under frustration the more difficult it will get. if you do not have solution (if wearing dailys) get some, lens will dry out if not put in quickly.

even after my weeks trial still wasn't perfect, would have everything i need lined up on the bathroom shelf, but now almost second nature, usally no more than a few seconds per eye, i still blink as well but use free hand to hold eye open, make sure fingers and eye lids are dry so can get grip to stop blinking.

will1569reptile

im just learning to keep my eye open while my finger is trying to touch it haha.

i looked at lots of videos and i tink all i need is practice everyday.

also there a lens inserter that you can buy on ebay looks really easy to use?

sentient_6

The practise session the other day went reasonably well actually. Got both in eventually, took quiet a while though. Got the right out again but couldn't get the left back out, the optician had to get it out in the end. That was very frustrating. Apparently it was cos my eyes where so dry. So i've drops to use till the next practise on thursday. I'm hoping that will be the end of it then.