If you are anything like me, the thought of putting anything in your eye seems extremely intimidating- not to mention the struggle of having to take it back out again! So, when I purchased my first pair of party contact lenses, my mind suddenly filled with dark thoughts. What if the contact gets stuck inside my eye, lost inside its depths, never to be found again? Will I go blind? Will my eyes get infected? For a first-time contact lens wearer, it was complete foreign territory for me. I began practising a week before the event to put my new pair of contacts in, and back out again. By day 4, I finally succeeded in getting one in. What followed was a few hours of struggling, frustration, until I eventually managed to get it back out again. It got me thinking, how do people manage to do this so efficiently on a daily basis? This prompted me to continue to persevere, to try different techniques, until I finally became comfortable in the entire process.

For anyone else who is new to wearing contacts, or those of us who continue to struggle taking their lenses in and out, here are some tips and tricks I found immensely helpful in making the whole process a lot smoother. Gone forever are those fearful thoughts of losing your lenses into deep eternity.

How to put your contact lenses in

-Ensure your hands are clean and dried thoroughly before handling your contact lenses.

-Keep your fingernails short so they do not accidentally scratch your eye.

-Use your fingertips to gently pick up the lens.

-Rinse your lens with solution to make sure it is clean. Do not use tap water to wash your lenses.

-Place the contact lens on the tip of your dominant index or middle finger. Inspect it to make sure the lens is not defected (look for any torn parts) before placing onto your eye. Make sure the lens is facing upwards and the edges flare up- it should look like a bowl.

-Take a deep, slow breath and relax your body.

-Standing in front of a mirror, and using your other hand, hold your upper eyelid open with your index finger, and pull down your lower eyelid with your thumb. You may also like to try using your thumb on your dominant hand to pull down the lower eyelid, if that feels more stable for you.

-With eyes wide open, slowly put the lens onto your eye. It may feel natural to want to blink a lot, but try and take deep, silent breaths as you approach your eye. You can either look straight ahead or towards the ceiling when putting your lens in.

-This step can be tricky, so the key is to remain calm, and if you cannot get it, keep trying until you do. Practise makes perfect, hence if you are planning to wear them for a special event, ensure you give yourself plenty of time to practise and get it right.

-You should feel the lens wrap itself onto your eye, then slowly close your eyes and gently massage your eyelids to help settle your contact lens into place. With your eyes still closed, roll your eyes in a circular motion to continue the settling process.

-Open your eyes and slowly blink a few times. Your eyes should feel comfortable and be able to see clearly. Have a look in the mirror to make sure your lens is centred. If your contacts are not centred, close your eyes again, and roll them in a circle to re-set them into place.

If feeling discomfort, or your contacts are not settling in place, do not panic, and use the steps below to safely remove your lenses.

How to remove your contact lenses

-Wash and dry your hands before attempting to remove lenses.

-As always, keep your fingernails short.

-Pull open your eyes by using your non-dominant hand to hold your upper eyelid open with your index finger, and pull down your lower eyelid with your thumb.

-Look straight ahead into the mirror, and take a deep, slow breath (relaxation is key).

-Using your dominant hand, pull the contact down with your index or middle finger, so it is sitting in the bottom part of your eye. The contact should be bunching at the bottom of your eye, making it easier to pinch out.

-Looking straight into the mirror, use your thumb and index finger to pinch it out at the bottom.

-Your contact should now be out of your eye and ready for cleaning with solution.

-By pulling the contact lens down, it prevents the chance of scratching your pupil. Looking into the mirror also helps you to see the contact starting to bunch, making it easier to know where to put your finger for removal.

It may not happen the first time, but with perseverance and practise, the stress of putting in and taking out your contacts will soon disappear. I find this method makes things a lot easier, and less time spent getting frustrated in front of the mirror.