Common contact lens queries and how to solve them

Most people who need glasses can also wear contact lenses, including those who are short‑sighted, long‑sighted, require a reading prescription or have an astigmatism. However, contact lenses require a specific contact lens prescription, as factors such as eye health, lens fit and comfort need to be assessed.

A contact lens assessment will confirm whether contact lenses are suitable for you and which type is best for your eyes and lifestyle.

Your optician will provide you with a timetable for gradually increasing the length of time you can wear your lenses, starting with a few hours each day. It can take up to a fortnight to reach maximum wear time with gas‑permeable lenses, but it’s usually much quicker for soft lenses.

Good hygiene and lens care are essential for keeping your lenses and eyes in good condition; always follow the care regimen prescribed by your optician and make sure to attend regular aftercare visits.

Firstly, make sure that the lens is still in your eye. Your eye may still feel that a lens is present if it is irritated, but it may have already fallen out.

If the lens is still at the centre of your eye, with clean hands, try sliding it down towards the bottom of your eye and gently but firmly pinch it from the edges inwards. If the lens seems stuck, then place a few drops of sterile saline solution, lubricating eye drops (specifically formulated for contact lenses) or All‑in‑One contact lens solution into your eye before trying to remove it again.

Sometimes lenses can become stuck under your top eyelid. Looking straight ahead in the mirror, tilt your head back slightly and elevate your top lid as far as possible to determine if the lens is there, try sliding it down, then pinching it out.

If you are still struggling, see your optician as soon as possible.

Good hygiene is essential for keeping your eyes healthy and your contact lenses in good condition.

If you drop a daily lens, you’ll need to rinse it thoroughly by popping it back into the blister packet with solution in, if you don't have this to hand, discard the lens and use a fresh one. If your lenses are reusable, you should clean it and disinfect it again before insertion by using the solution recommended by your optician, typically using a rub and rinse method.

Do not wear a lens that is damaged. This could cause irritation and harm to your eyes. Dispose of it and wear a new one.

A lens cannot be damaged whilst being worn, but if found to be torn or split, this almost always occurs when handling.

If you require a replacement, please contact your Specsavers store.

If you fall asleep with your lenses in, you might find that they’ve become stuck to the surface of your eye, especially if you’re dehydrated, i.e. after drinking alcohol.

Never attempt to remove your lenses if they do not come off easily. Instead, you should blink and apply lens comfort drops until your eye surface becomes moist. The lenses will then become mobile again and easier to remove.

It’s a good idea to leave your lenses out the following day to give your eyes a chance to recover.

If you have any persistent discomfort or redness, see your optician as soon as possible.

If your lifestyle or work requires you to wear your lenses for long hours or even to sleep in them, then there’s a lens type that is designed to be worn in this way ‑ the continuous wear lens. Your optician will be able to tell you if they’re suitable for your eyes or not.

Your optician will advise on the best cleaning products to use.

Contact lenses should be cleaned every time you wear them, and full care instructions will be provided when you are fitted with your contact lenses.

Contact lenses and their case should NEVER be cleaned with water.

While it is possible to recover and recycle contact lenses and packaging materials, due to the small size, and limitations of local authority collections, this is usually not a practical option.

Where specialist recycling options for contact lens materials are not available, the waste material should be placed with the general waste for responsible disposal by local authorities, or licensed contractors.

Contact lenses should never be disposed of by washing them down the sink or flushing them down the toilet.

Learn more about recycling contact lens packaging here.