Getting a contact lens stuck can be scary—here's how to remedy the problem.
Amanda Gardner is a health reporter whose stories have appeared in cnn.com, health.com, cnn.com, WebMD, HealthDay, Self Magazine, the New York Daily News, Teachers & Writers Magazine, the Foreign Service Journal, AmeriQuests (Vanderbilt University), and others. anti reflective coating lenses
When you wear contact lenses, they should float on the surface of your eye. They can slide slightly with every blink but generally stay in sync with your eyeball.
Clear vision and comfortable eyes are two ways to tell if a contact lens is still in your eye. Sometimes, contacts can slide too much or get stuck to your eyeball.
It is possible to remove a contact that's stuck by, for example, rewetting the contact in your eye if it becomes dry. Read on to learn other tips for what to do if you do find yourself with a stuck contact.
Your vision should be clear without any eye discomfort if the lens is sitting on your eye correctly. If not, you should be able to tell if a contact is still in your eye by looking at the area where the dark and the white parts come together, Kim Le, MD, a pediatric ophthalmologist with the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, told Health.
If you still don't see it, flip your upper eyelid to see if it's hiding up there, then try saline drops to flush it out. Your contact can't get "lost" behind your eye because of the structure of your eye and eyelid, so keep looking and rinsing.
If you can see your contact, but it won't budge, it may have dried out and lost its elasticity. That may be because you slept or napped with your lenses in or haven't been taking the best care of them.
"You have a little gap where the eyes don't close all the way, and a little bit of air comes in," said Dr. Le. That air dries out contact lenses and saps them of their elasticity, which can leave a contact stuck directly to your eyeball, said Dr. Le.
If your contact lens is stuck, keep the following tips in mind:
If you still have issues with attempts to remove the lens, see an eye care provider for assistance.
If you know or think that your contact lens has torn while on your eye, how you remove it depends on the size of the pieces. You can try rinsing your eye with drops if you have smaller pieces.
For larger pieces, you may be able to remove the lens like you would if it was intact. The process would be as follows:
Usually, you and your eyes will be fine—but not always. Every year, up to one out of every 500 people who wear contact lenses gets an eye infection that puts them at risk of becoming blind.
Missing or stuck contacts—and eye infections—can be prevented with more attention. Also, even if your contact is super comfortable, it can't take care of itself. Soft lenses—worn by more than 90% of people who use contacts—require a daily routine. The following are tips to help you take care of your contact lenses—and your eyes:
Don't forget to take care of the contact lens case. "The case is a reservoir for germs and infection," said Dr. Steinemann. Every morning:
If you really can't find a contact lens or can't get it out, call see an eye care provider. Additionally, see a provider if wetting your eye doesn't work to remove a stuck contact lens. You'll need to see one about getting new lenses that fit better.
In general, remove your contacts and seek medical eye care if you experience the following symptoms:
There are ways to prevent contacts from getting stuck and remove them if it does happen. If your contacts constantly get stuck or you experience other contact-related problems, consult an eye care provider.
American Academy of Ophthalmology. Contact lenses for vision correction.
American Academy of Ophthalmology. How to put in contact lenses.
American Academy of Ophthalmology. Computers, digital devices, and eye strain.
Gurnani B, Kaur K. Contact lens–related problems and complications. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2023.
Lievens CW, Cilimberg KC, Moore A. Contact lens care tips for patients: an optometrist’s perspective. Clin Optom (Auckl). 2017;9:113-121. doi:10.2147/OPTO.S139651
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Healthy contact lens wear and care: Fast facts.
Lipson MJ. Overview of contact lenses. In: UpToDate. UpToDate; 2022.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Protect your eyes.
photochromic sunglasses with polarized lens American Academy of Ophthalmology. How to take care of contact lenses.