Removing a broken contact lens can cause more than a few difficulties. While it is disheartening, it is important not to panic. It is in fact necessary to have a steady hand to remove any fragments trapped in the eye. It is often possible to detach the pieces of lens by pinching them with your fingers, in a similar procedure to what you would do to remove an intact lens. However, if you have problems, or if you notice that your eye has been scratched or injured during the procedure, it is essential to go to the ophthalmologist to prevent damage or infection.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Remove a Broken Contact Lens
Step 1. Wash your hands
Before attempting to remove a broken lens, make sure you wash your hands thoroughly. The wash should take 30 seconds. Eliminates any residue of dirt or greasy matter under the nails. Use a lint-free towel.
Use a fragrance-free soap to decrease the risk of eye irritation
Step 2. Look for a mirror and keep your eye open
Approach the mirror, then tense the lower lid with your thumb and the upper lid with your index finger. Try to locate the lens fragments in the eye with the help of the other. You may need to ask someone to help you out, especially if your vision prevents you from seeing the bits of lens clearly.
If you ask someone for help, remind them that they should only guide you through the procedure, while they shouldn't stick their fingers in your eye or try to remove the debris
Step 3. Remove the larger pieces
Remove large or easy-to-spot fragments just like you would remove an intact lens. Move them towards the sclera, then carefully pinch them with the help of the fingertips of the thumb and forefinger (do not use your fingernails).
Don't throw away the fragments. Put them in the lens case so they can help you rebuild the lens. This will allow you to determine if you have spotted them and removed them all from the eye
Step 4. Move your eye to locate the smaller pieces
Move your eye up and down, but also from side to side, with extreme care to find the smaller pieces. Try to open your eyelids as wide as possible to avoid scratching the ocular surface. The tiny, jagged fragments can cause damage if they are rubbed between the eyelid or fingers and the ocular surface. It is therefore essential to remove them with extreme delicacy.
Step 5. Rinse your eyes to remove any residual lens
Read the label on the lens disinfectant solution to make sure it can be used to rinse your eyes. Alternatively, apply saline eye drops if you have one available. Wash the eye with the solution and let the liquid channel the fragments outward. Continue to keep your eyes wide open to let the solution as well as the fragments left in the eye and socket run out.
Some people continue to have a foreign body sensation in the eye, as it is possible that the fragments have caused irritation. Use the fragments you recovered and stored in the case to try to figure out if you have removed all of them or if there is any left in the eye
Step 6. See your eye doctor if you have any difficulties
If you cannot remove the fragments by pinching them with your fingers or washing the eye with a saline solution, you will need to go to the eye doctor. It will probably seem like a hassle to make a lightning visit, but it is undoubtedly preferable to the possibility of hurting yourself trying to remove the broken lens yourself. Your doctor will use more accurate tools than what you have available. Surely he will be able to remove the pieces of lens quickly and easily.
See your doctor right away if the lens has scratched your eye
Method 2 of 3: Preventing Eye Damage
Step 1. Don't use your fingernails
You may be tempted to grab the lens fragments with your fingernails. However, it is important to pinch them using only the fingertips, otherwise you risk damaging the ocular surface -
Also, to avoid scratching the eye, the ideal would be to try to remove the broken lens with short nails, so that they do not interfere with the fingertips
Step 2. Avoid using tweezers
If you cannot remove the lens fragments with your fingertips, do not try to use other tools. Tweezers and similar objects can severely damage the ocular surface or cause dangerous infections. Let your eye doctor use specific tools for the procedure.
Soft-tipped tweezers specifically for contact lenses are also generally not recommended, especially when removing fragments. The risk of causing an abrasion or scratching the ocular surface is very high
Step 3. Try not to rub your eyes
Do not rub your eyes if lens fragments get stuck. The friction could scratch the cornea or the ocular surface. In addition to risking injury, you could also get serious infections. In general, avoid rubbing your eyes when wearing contact lenses.
Method 3 of 3: Prevent Contact Lenses from Breaking and Getting Stuck
Step 1. Never use a broken lens
Inspect your lenses carefully before fitting them. Do not use them if you notice tears or deformations, however tiny they are. Wearing a deformed rigid lens can also be dangerous, as it could alter the shape of the cornea or the ocular surface to which it adheres.
Try to carry a spare pair of glasses or lenses with you when you go out or out of town. In this way you will not have the temptation or the need to use damaged lenses
Step 2. Use your lenses and take care of their maintenance following the instructions given to you
When removing a lens from your eye, do not keep it pinched between your fingers before placing it in the solution. Instead, hold it on your index finger with the concave side facing up. In this way, the part that comes into contact with the eye will not touch the finger. This will lower the risk of the lens weakening or changing shape, preventing it from tearing or injuring the cornea.
- Gently place the lenses in the case immediately after removing them. Don't let them dry out, or they won't fully rehydrate and substantially increase the risk of them breaking.
- Always try to close the case. Make sure the lenses don't get stuck between the edge of the storage compartment and the lid, otherwise you risk crushing and breaking them.
- Don't try to lubricate your lenses by putting them in your mouth or licking them.
- Replace the lenses according to the manufacturer's guidelines and replace the case every three months.
Step 3. Don't go to sleep with your lenses in
Eyes and lenses are prone to dry out in sleep. While you sleep, you don't have the option to take care of your lenses or lubricate your eyes. Rapid eye movement can also cause lenses to shift or damage the surface of the eye. This can increase the risk of getting serious infections.
