How To Take Out Contacts With Long Nails

How do you get contacts out with long nails?

Contact Lenses and Long Fingernails Long-nail lovers deal with a lot of daily inconveniences that other people just don’t get. We need to be extra careful opening boxes, eating with our hands, getting into cars, and even going to the bathroom. It takes a while to get used to having these talons! It’s sort of like other fashion sacrifices we make, including high heels and hair extensions.

  1. We learn to live with them and it’s worth it.
  2. But one aspect of long nails living often goes undiscussed, and that is the dilemma of dealing with contact lenses.
  3. Wearing glasses is okay now and then, but for those of us who prefer the contact lens and long nail combo, we tend to run into problems.
  4. Let’s review the best ways to take out contacts with long nails so that you can enjoy the best of both worlds without scratching yourself or going crazy.

Not to turn this into a PSA about the dangers of long nails, but you should know that safety is super important when taking your contacts out, especially with pointy acrylics.Even if you’ve been taking contacts in and out of your eyes for years, long nails introduce a few new variables you should keep in mind.

  1. First of all, long nails are cumbersome if you’re not used to wearing them.
  2. You may not realize just how much nail length impacts your daily life, from typing to sleeping and everything in between.
  3. This goes for contact lens care as well.
  4. You can be aware and conscientious of your nails in one moment, and then get distracted the next second, forgetting that you have talons on your fingers! We’ve all done it, and the results can be embarrassing or painful.

Getting used to the new dimensions of your nails can be a challenge in itself. Stand in front of a mirror and practice for a few minutes to see just how much space you have to work with. Us humans are not great with depth perception up super-close, so you’ll want to get a feel for how your long nails work around your eyes – just be careful! Without getting too graphic, you can experience cornea scratches if you don’t exercise caution, which can lead to a ton of discomfort and cause vision problems in the long term.

Since long nails have more surface area to attract bacteria and other nasty stuff from your daily routine, a scratch on the eye can increase the likelihood of infection, which nobody wants. If you do decide you want to wear long nails and are willing to take the time to learn, we suggest you start with some shorter nails first and work your way up.

Even just a couple of extra millimeters on the fingernail can throw you off if you aren’t used to them. Work with your nail tech to gradually increase the length of your nails over a few months so you can practice the techniques we’ll share with you here.

The first thing you want to do is wash your hands more than you usually would. It’s gross to think about, but a lot of gunk can build up underneath those long nails during the day, and you want to give them a complete rinse and with soap and warm water before you bring them anywhere near your face. We’re not talking about a five-second rinse here – you need to wash your hands and nails longer than you probably think is necessary. Get in between those fingers and do a little bit of preliminary scraping under the nails to get bits of debris out, letting the water from the sink run directly under each nail. Once super-clean, dry your hands and nails thoroughly as well. This will help you get a better grip on your contact lenses once you take the plunge. Make sure you are in a very well-lit room and you have your contact lens case already topped up with fresh disinfectant. Get ready to try some different methods and see what works.

A FEW TECHNIQUES TO TRY

Your first attempt at long-nail contact lens removal should be the pinching method. This approach uses your fingertips, and not your nail. Here is the basic idea: Push on the opposite sides of the contact lens using the index fingers on either hand. You can angle your nails so that they point away from your eyeball. This requires you to use the sides of your fingers or the tips just beneath the nail. The goal is to press the lens from either side so that it moves forward and comes out easily. Do not use too much pressure. Try a few different configurations of fingertips and various angles. Everyone will find a unique approach that works best for them. The pinch method is popular because it can be learned quickly and doesn’t cause much discomfort. Just make sure to keep track of those lenses and check them for scratches.

Another technique, slightly more advanced, is the rolling method. Here’s how it works:

Use the padded part of your fingertip to gently press the contact lens down to the lower eyelid. Keep the nail angled away from the eye. Keep pushing slowly but firmly until the lens comes into contact with the lower eyelid and you start to feel the resistance. Add a little bit of extra pressure, and the contact lens will roll out over the eyelid and out of the eye if done correctly. This technique is all about feel, so don’t get frustrated if you aren’t able to pull it off for your first few attempts. Eventually, if you master it, you’ll be able to do this anywhere, anytime!

CONTACTS MAY NOT LAST AS LONG

If you are new to the long nail club and are struggling to remove contacts safely, you’re probably doing some damage to those lenses every time you try. While it’s better than scratching your actual eyeball, those contact lenses may be taking the brunt of your long nail wrath, which may impact their effectiveness. Since you want your contacts to be at 100% capacity, it could be worth using new lenses on a more frequent basis. You also may want to consider swapping out your lens case more frequently than usual, because your unwashed nails will be in contact with the plastic exterior, as well as inside.

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CONCLUSION You can wear contact lenses and have long nails; there are a lot of precautions to consider so you don’t damage your eyes. If push comes to shove, shorten the nails on the index finger and thumb and keep the other nails long. Contact one of our three locations to today! : Contact Lenses and Long Fingernails

Can you take out contacts with gel nails?

When to see an eye doctor – It’s important to see an eye doctor if you wear contacts and have questions about caring for your contacts or need a demonstration on how to put in or take out contacts with long nails. You should also see an eye doctor right away if you injure your eye while putting in or taking out your contacts.

What to do when I can’t get my contact out?

Getting a Stuck Contact Lens Out Getting a Stuck Contact Lens Out Stuck contact lenses happen with regularity, but before retrieving them, it is important to start by properly washing your hands. The proper procedure to remove a trapped lens depends on where exactly on the surface of the eye it is stuck.

  • Safely removing a stuck contact lens can be a time-consuming and frustrating task, so it is important to blink regularly (to lubricate both the lens and the eye) and to be patient.
  • In most cases, properly removing a stuck contact lens can take about 15 minutes with minimal discomfort.
  • If there is persistent discomfort, call a doctor for help.

Almost everyone who uses contact lenses will inevitably get a lens stuck in their eye. It is simply a natural risk of using them. As annoying as the experience is, it is not dangerous to the eye, and the lens itself can be easily retrieved. Once your hands are sufficiently clean, turn your attention to getting your stuck contact lens.

  1. Where Is the Stuck Lens? To begin, find the exact location of the contact lens in your eye.
  2. If, for example, the lens is fully centered on the cornea (the clear, protective outer layer of the eye), the lens has probably already dried out.
  3. People who fall asleep while wearing their contacts will be familiar with this.

If this happens, use a steady stream of sterile saline, multipurpose contact lens solution, or contact lens rewetting drops to irrigate the stuck contact and your eye for a few seconds. Once done, close your eye and carefully massage your upper eyelid until you can feel the lens start to move.

The movement will be very noticeable, so you will know if you are on the right track. In the event that the lens remains stuck, rinse several more times. Try to frequently blink after each rinse, to make the lens move. The goal is to rehydrate the lens, so it becomes moveable. This could take as long as 10 minutes of rinsing, blinking, and massaging.

When the lens starts to easily move, it can be removed like normal. If the Lens Is Stuck Off Center If the contact lens is stuck off the center of the eye, you should move your eye in the opposite direction of where it feels like the lens is stuck. If it feels like the lens is stuck under your upper eyelid, for example, then look down.

  • If the lens is stuck in the left corner of your eye, look all the way to the right.
  • Then, lightly massage your eyelid and blink frequently.
  • This will move the lens to the center of the eye, where it can be removed.
  • You might have to rinse your eye with rewetting drops, multipurpose solution, or sterile saline to lubricate the lens to get it to move.

If this doesn’t work, you can try to put a new contact lens on the eye and blink as you normally would. This can pull the stuck contact lens back to the center of the eye, where you can easily take it out. Gas Permeable Contact Lenses and Suction Cups Gas permeable contact lenses can also get stuck in the eye.

If this happens to you, the way to remove it is different. Do not massage the eye because doing so might cause the harder gas permeable lens to scratch the surface of the eye. If the lens is stuck on the sclera (the white of the eye), you can use the flat part of your fingertip to softly press the eye, just past the edge of the lens.

This will break the suction that is keeping the lens stuck in the eye. Similarly, you can use a small suction cup, which is sold in the eye care section of drugstores. The cup has a concave end, which you press onto the center of the stuck lens. The lens adheres to the cup, and you can delicately pull the lens free.

It might be the case that no matter what you try, the contact lens remains stuck. If this happens, call a doctor immediately. Blinking and Patience Something to keep in mind when trying to safely remove a lost contact lens is to keep blinking. Every blink moisturizes the eye and the inner surface of the eyelid, increasing the chance of the lens becoming dislodged for retrieval.

Even if the lens needs a little help being removed, the lubrication will assist with the process and ensure that your eye and the contact lens itself are not damaged. It might also take a while for the lens to be removed, so take care not to be frustrated or worried.

Is it safe to use tweezers to remove contact lenses?

Contact Lens Handling Tools Contact lens tools offer a hygienic way to handle your lenses with ease. Tweezers and tongs help you safely and effectively remove lenses from their case, and applicators are ideal for anyone who may be uncomfortable touching their eyeballs.

  1. These cheap, simple tools can make your morning lens-care routine easier and safer.
  2. Contact lens applicators help get your from their case and into your eye with minimal contact with your fingers.
  3. Simply place the lens on your palm, round side up.
  4. Then lightly press the applicator tip to the lens.
  5. The lens will stay in place as you guide it onto your eye to release it.

Applicators are especially useful for anyone with longer, manicured nails, or anyone uncomfortable touching their eyes. Tweezers and tongs are excellent tools that can help you remove your lenses from their case with ease. Both are made from soft plastic that does not damage the lens itself.

  1. These devices can be particularly useful for anyone with longer fingernails or who has difficulty taking the lenses out of their case.
  2. It’s necessary to sterilise these tools after every use.
  3. Our tweezers are available in four sizes so you can choose the pair that is most comfortable in your hand.
  4. Tweezers and tongs are not intended to remove lenses from your eyes.
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: Contact Lens Handling Tools

Will a nail salon take off my acrylics?

If you’ve ever gotten acrylic nails, you’re familiar with the guilt that comes when you impulsively rip them off. Whether you didn’t want to pay a professional to remove them or if they unexpectedly break, you can end up with a very damaged nail bed if you rip off an acrylic nail.

  • If applied or removed incorrectly, acrylic nails could cause damage to the natural nail,” said nail artist Teana,
  • Do not peel it off or rip it off your existing nail: It will remove precious keratin layers of your natural nail.” Teana told TODAY Style that the best and safest way to remove acrylic nails is to go to a professional at a nail salon.

Make sure to go to good quality nail salons for the nail services, and always consult with the specialist. If you keep your services up-to-date and try to maintain refills regularly, it’ll minimize damage and your nail beds will be in good shape. But we’re realistic and know not everyone has the time — or money to spare — to constantly go and see a manicurist.

Can you take out contact lenses without using your fingers?

People Reveal Simple Trick to Take Contacts Out Without Using Your Hands

  • Anyone who wears contact lenses knows the struggle of getting them in and out, as your eyes often stream and your nails scratch your eyeball.
  • But it turns out there’s a much simpler—and quicker—way to remove them without using your fingers, perfect if they’re not clean or you’ve been chopping chillies.
  • A lens-wearer, which has gone viral after a fellow user shared the clip while testing out the method.
  • uploaded a video on Monday, which has since been viewed more than 45 million times.
  • Ramos follows a step-by-step guide posted by, who demonstrates the technique.
  • First you need to keep your eyelids open, then look to one side and blink, which should force your contact out.

Lalaleluu, who took both of hers out in the short video, explains: “You pull up and down, you look to the side and then you blink. That worked so well. “That’s the easiest way to take out contacts. I’m so proud of myself. I still struggle with putting them in, but I’m a master of taking them out now. Hope that helped.”

  1. Ramos followed suit and her lens popped out with minimal effort, as she looked shocked.
  2. She captioned the video: “The way I struggled with taking out contacts all these years.”
  3. Scores of lens wearers have, with Vicky writing: “I’ve been wearing contacts for 5+ years and just struggle taking them out whenever I get my nails done, why isn’t this more well known, thank you.”
  • A fellow fake nail wearer agreed, with Fitz & Smalls saying: “And this whole time I was stabbing my eyes with my acrylics.”
  • Agreeing, Sammi Castiel Dean commented: “Ya’ll if I had known about this trick I would have begged for contacts years ago.”
  • Noobmaster69 declared: “Girly you really out here changing everyone’s life.”
  • While I hate myself too wrote: “This is gonna be my new party trick.”

In shock, King Rico thought: “Wait what. So this whole time I been digging my eyes out when I could have just done this.” Looking forward to a fresh start, Quinn declared: “I’ve avoided contacts all my life because I was afraid of taking them out. And it’s this easy?” Another longtime wearer, Jill, added: “I’ve literally had contacts for 5 years now and I never knew this.” And people were desperate for a hack to put them in with ease too, with Shayne Monsanto asking: “What’s an easy method to get them in?” Stock image of a woman’s finger with a contact lens. A tutorial is going viral online teaching people how to remove lenses without their fingers. ergeyryzhov/Getty iStock : People Reveal Simple Trick to Take Contacts Out Without Using Your Hands

Should fingers be wet or dry when removing contacts?

Make sure your fingers are dry. REMEMBER – a lens sticks to wet surfaces (like the eye) better than dry surfaces, so if your finger is too wet, it will keep sticking to your finger and when you try to put it on the eye, it won’t adhere properly.

What happens if you leave gel nails on?

2. You’re leaving gel polish on too long. – Since gel nail polish can be worn for weeks on end without even the tiniest chip, stretching the life of your manicure is tempting. However, Hadley suggests removing a gel manicure after two to three weeks maximum to avoid damaging nail beds and cuticles.

Why are contacts so hard to take out?

Removing a Stuck Soft Contact Lens – The most common type of contact lenses that get stuck in the eye are soft contacts. To get your contact out, make sure to wash your hands thoroughly. Then, try to find out where the contact lens is located in your eye.

  1. Is it centered on your eye? The lens probably just dried out, which most often happens if you’ve fallen asleep in your contacts.
  2. If this happens, simply rinse your eye under a steady stream of saline solution, contact lens rewetting drops or multipurpose solution for a few seconds.
  3. This rehydrates the lenses and softens them up again.

Do not use water from the tap for this, as it may cause infection. After you’ve wet the contact lens, close your eye and gently massage your upper eyelid until you feel the lens move. You may need to repeat this process a few times before the contact lens comes unstuck.

Once you feel the lens moving in your eye again, you can remove it as you normally would. If your eye is still irritated and red after removing the contact lens, see your eye doctor immediately. You may have scratched your cornea (corneal abrasion), which is dangerous if left untreated. Is the contact lens stuck on one side of your eye? Move your eye in the opposite direction of where you think the lens may be.

If the lens feels like it’s off to the right, look left; if it’s stuck in your upper eyelid, look down—and so on. Following this, gently massaging the eyelids, blink frequently and use of saline multipurpose solution or rewetting drops. This will cause it to soften, dislodge and move to the center of the eye.

Should I go to ER for stuck contact?

If it’s after hours, the on-call physician may suggest you go to the emergency room for an evaluation and removal, especially if you’ve tried to remove the contact several times or are experiencing eye pain or redness.

How long can you go without taking contacts out?

How many hours per day can you safely wear contacts? Most people can safely and comfortably wear contact lenses for 14 to 16 hours per day. It’s always best to try to remove them as soon as possible before you go to bed at night to give your eyes a chance to breathe without lenses in.

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What happens if you pinch your eye while taking out contacts?

Use a contact lens remover for hard contact lenses – Although this is not the preferred method of contact lens removal, a contact lens remover, called a “plunger” can be used when you’re not comfortable using your fingers to remove a hard contact lens.

Keep your contact lens prescription up-to-date, and make sure that you aren’t using lenses that are expired.Don’t reuse disposable lenses or use lenses longer than prescribed, as this can cause an increased risk of infection.Keep your contact lens cases clean to prevent dirt and bacteria from mingling with your clean lenses. Replace your case every 3 months.Don’t swim or shower in contact lenses, as the water can damage the integrity of your lenses.Don’t sleep in your contact lenses, as this can potentially lead to an increased risk of eye infections or other complications, according to a 2018 case report,

If you have any other major questions or concerns about contact lens insertion, removal, or safety, you can reach out to your eye doctor for help. It’s important to practice caution when inserting and removing contact lenses, to avoid damaging your eyes. Here are some precautions to be aware of when taking out contact lenses:

Don’t pinch too hard. Although pinching the contact lens is one of the easiest ways to remove soft lenses, you risk tearing the lens if you pinch too hard. Be careful near your cornea. Eyes are extremely sensitive, especially to touching, poking, or scratching. When removing your lenses, try to avoid touching your actual eye. Mind your long nails. If you have long nails, you should be extra careful when removing your lenses to avoid scratching the lens or your eye. Always wash your hands. Bacteria can easily find its way to your eye from a dirty finger, which is why it’s crucial to clean your hands before removing or inserting contact lenses.

The most important thing is to just be as gentle as possible around your eyes when you’re putting in and taking out contact lenses. Contact lenses are a safe, popular alternative to glasses, especially when you practice good contact lens hygiene. However, you should schedule a visit with your eye doctor if you experience any of the following symptoms :

eye painlight sensitivityblurred visioneye discharge

These symptoms may indicate an infection, damage to your cornea, or something else that requires medical attention. When you’re new to wearing contact lenses, removing your lenses properly can take some getting used to. There are multiple ways to remove both soft and hard contact lenses, depending on your preference.

Do eye drops make it easier to remove contacts?

Tips for removing a stuck soft contact lens – Before trying to remove a contact lens, it is important that you always wash your hands with water and dry them, ideally on a kitchen towel, to avoid fuzz on your hands. To remove the lens, you will first need to locate whether it has moved under the eyelid or is still on your cornea.

If the lens is centred, still providing vision correction on the cornea but doesn’t budge when you try to move it, it is possible that the lens has lost its moisture, decreasing its elasticity and therefore making it harder to pinch and move off the eye. A few drops of contact lens safe wetting eye drops added to your eyes will help move the lens around the eye.

Add the eye drops and gently massage your closed eye to distribute the moisture, which will help to lubricate and restore the elasticity of contacts on the cornea, allowing it to come off easily. If the lens in not sitting centred but moved under the lid or off to the corner of your eye, try closing your eyes and gently massaging the lens towards the centre of your cornea, where you should be able to lift the lens with carefully pinching fingers.

Can you wash your face with contacts in your eyes?

The short answer is no. Water and contact lenses are incompatible, meaning they don’t and shouldn’t go together. This means washing your face, taking a shower, and swimming are all out of the question when you have contact lenses on. The main reason for this is most water is not sterile (germ-free).

Can you swim with contacts in?

Swimming with contact lenses in your eyes is not recommended, no matter how tempting it is to have crystal-clear vision as you cannonball into the pool. The associated risks—eye infection, irritation, losing your lenses, and even more serious issues—just aren’t worth it.

What happens if I accidentally fall asleep with contacts in?

Your Risk of Eye Infection Increases the Longer You Sleep – A lot of people sleep with their contacts because they experienced no issues with it in the past. Keep in mind that every time you sleep while wearing your contacts is a risk. Your eye will expand and swell whenever your eyes are closed, no matter how long it is.

  1. While napping for 15 to 30 minutes will unlikely cause damage, it is still a risk.
  2. Sleeping for hours with your contacts increases your risk of developing an eye infection.
  3. Without good access to oxygen, your cornea will begin to enlarge and swell up.
  4. This condition is called keratitis, meaning the physiology of the eye is being altered and damaged.

The immune system that protects your body differs from the one that protects your eye. As you sleep, bacteria can penetrate the gaps in your contacts and reach your cornea. Once they break through the protective layer, your risk for a bacterial eye infection increases. Moreover, if you do not regularly clean your contacts and you have a habit of sleeping in them, you are more likely to experience eye infections. Some of the most common symptoms of an eye infection or keratitis include red eyes, irritation, and itchiness.

  1. The symptoms should ease up and disappear once you regularly remove your contacts.
  2. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), around one million people see their eye doctors each year due to keratitis symptoms.
  3. However, even people who do not wear contacts in their sleep can still experience keratitis but the probability is lower.

If you’re suffering from symptoms of keratitis, make sure to consult your eye doctor immediately for proper diagnosis and treatment. Even if you are consistent with cleaning and disinfecting your contacts, germ build-up can still occur. Make sure to replace your contacts and case as recommended by your eye specialist to avoid infections.

Can I take a 20 minute nap in my contacts?

Can You Nap with Contacts? – If you are taking a short, 20 – minute nap, your contact lenses shouldn’t be a problem. However, you will likely need to freshen them with the special solution after napping, as they will go dry. You don’t want this to become habitual, because it can cause eye trouble.