What happens if a contact lens breaks in your eye

Always inspect your contact lenses before putting them in your eyes. Give them a once over while wearing your glasses if necessary to check for rips, chips or jagged edges. If you see any issues, throw the lens away and start over with a new one.

It's good to have a backup supply on hand in case something like this happens. It's a smart idea to contact the manufacturer if most of your new lenses have damage. You can also try and switch up the contacts brand. Talking to your doctor can point you in the right direction. Make sure you're cleaning your contact lenses according to their instructions. Keep them moist and make sure your lens case is always full of contact solution.

If you don't do this, they'll dry out and become more prone to tearing. Remember to be gentle when handling your contact lens. You can rub them gently to get rid of deposits. But if you rub too vigorously, you could end up ripping them.

Sometimes, your contact lenses accidentally fold over when you take them out. If this happens, put the lens back in the contact solution before you unfold it. This will help you unstick it more easily, and you'll be less likely to tear it in the process. Allergies, excessive screen time or dry weather conditions can cause your eyes to dry out. Try using the tip of your finger to push the piece of the lens to the edge of your eye.

From there you might be able to pull it out. If you can't get the piece out on your own, make an appointment with your eye doctor as soon as possible. If you notice a piece of your contact lens is missing but don't see it in your eye, you should visit your eye doctor anyway. The piece might be too small for you to find on your own. If your contact gets stuck under your eyelid, the best way to get it back out is by using eye drops.

Make sure you put enough drops in your eye so it is full of moisture. This will make it easier for the contact to move around. After rinsing your eye with eye drops, start massaging your eyelid. Don't use any force. Instead, use gentle movements to dislodge the contact.

Once the contact is freed, remove it like normal. Lift your eyelid and turn it inside out to make sure there aren't any broken pieces of contact left inside. Clean your eye out with a saline solution when you're done.

This can lead to unwanted bacteria entering the eye and causing infection. If you're still learning how to use your contacts, you should keep your fingernails trimmed.

Don't use your fingernails to grab the contacts when putting them in and taking them out. Never pinch the middle of your contact lenses. Tearing a contact lens happens to most wearers sooner or later. Torn contact lenses are fairly common, especially among people who are new to wearing. You handle your contacts every day, so expect accidents to happen as you learn what to do and what not to do.

Some contact lens materials and designs are more prone to tearing than others, so if you are having issues with frequent lens tears, you should talk to an eye doctor.

A torn lens will have jagged edges that can scratch the delicate front surface of your eye, called the cornea. Your eyes may be too dry, especially if you work at a computer all day or if you spend a lot of time in a dry environment, such as an airplane or air-conditioned office.

When your eyes are dry, your contact lenses dry out and can become brittle or too sticky. When you pinch a lens to remove it, the edges may stick together; then, when you try to ease the edges apart, the lens might tear. Using artificial tears to lubricate your eyes before removing your contacts should correct the situation.

Wearing a torn or damaged contact lens for any length of time may cause eye irritation or more serious damage. As soon as you notice a problem, remove the contacts and arrange for a new pair right away. Print The mystery of the contact lens that broke in the eye October 15, Wash your hands with soap, as you always should do before handling your contacts. Stand in front of a mirror for the procedure.

Put a drop of artificial tears in your eye to lubricate it.