What is what to do when contact is lost in eye?

When you experience lens displacement or contact lens loss, it's important to act quickly and calmly to avoid discomfort or potential injury. Here's a step-by-step guide:

1. Stop what you're doing: Avoid rubbing your eye. This can cause further irritation or scratch your cornea if the lens is folded or torn.

2. Wash your hands: Always handle contact lenses with clean hands to prevent introducing bacteria into your eye.

3. Locate the lens: Gently close your eye and feel around your eyelids for the lens. It may have slipped under your upper or lower lid. If you can't find it, have someone help you look.

4. If the lens is visible under your eyelid:

   • Gently massage your eyelid to try and move the lens back into place.
   • Use rewetting drops or saline solution to lubricate the lens and eye. This can help dislodge it.
   • If the lens is folded, gently try to unfold it by massaging your eyelid or using a clean fingertip.

5. If you cannot find the lens: It's possible it fell out without you noticing. Thoroughly search the area where you were when you noticed the loss. If you still can't find it, and you're concerned it might be inside your eye, consult an eye care professional. It's rare, but a lens can sometimes get lodged in the upper fornix (the space between your eyeball and eyelid).

6. Examine the lens: Once you've retrieved the lens, inspect it for tears or damage. If it's damaged, discard it immediately. Never wear a torn or damaged lens.

7. Clean and disinfect: If the lens is intact, clean and disinfect it thoroughly with your usual contact lens solution before reinserting it.

8. Redness or irritation: If your eye is red or irritated after losing or removing the lens, do not reinsert it. Consult an eye care professional if irritation persists.