OK, so you’ve hit the panic button. First up, there’s no harm in that AT ALL! Loads of people struggle. Hopefully this blog post might help a bit.

I don’t think I’m ever going to get them in!?!

You will. Over the years children as young as 7 have managed. So you will too, and very soon. At some point it will just click. Stick at it and try to keep calm.

In your instructions booklet (CLICK HERE to view online) you’ll see the ‘Tips & hints’ page. Re-read that and do everything we suggest slowly and carefully. The guy who wrote that is writing this (hello!) – we’re here to help.

It’s always the eyelids (get them wider) and/or solution on the fingers (slippy, get them dry). Also, try to think about this differently. In your mind zoom right in on your lens. Imagine it with a drop of solution in. Like a rain drop it has surface tension, so it kinda sticks up above the lens. As the solution meets your eye, the eye breaks the surface tension and the lens is sucked onto the eye. If that makes sense? So … you’re not poking yourself in the eye with your finger or the lens, you’re touching your eye onto the blob of solution and it will “schhhluuuuuck” onto it.

James (15), first week, over an hour a night… almost gave up!

“I really struggled and nearly gave up. One time I took over an hour and a half. My eyelids were sore, I was angry and frustrated. So how did I figure it out? I wasn’t holding my eyelids open enough, my fingers were slippery and I was rushing it.

To fix this… and I’m certain this might fix it for you:

1. I practiced holding my eyelids open as wide as I could with my thumb and finger. REALLY wide open
2. I washed my face (got rid of my greasy skin) and made sure my fingers were dry and not covered in solution – this fixed slipping
3. I stopped using my finger and used the sucker – and focused slowly putting the sucker right onto my eye. When I thought too much about it I panicked, blinked and missed

I get it every time now. It’s easy. I guess my brain knows what to do and I don’t overthink it. I’m still using the sucker but will start to learn using my fingers and doing the ‘tiddly-wink’ method. Try doing what I did and I think that might work for you. Really really really wide eyelids, non slippy skin and a slow, focused positioning of the lens onto the eye – don’t panic or rush the last bit, think about what you are doing”.

Benjamin (17), I used youtube to control my blink reflex!

“I had a blink reflex I couldn’t stop and couldn’t get my lenses in. So I would put my mobile on the towel and watch youtube while I put my lenses in, which helped keep my eyes open. I guess it became a muscle memory so I was able to do it without my mobile and youtube fairly quickly. It’s now dead easy. Stick at it!”

OTHER QUESTIONS WE GET A LOT

I have an involuntary blink
This is common, and also in your mind. Do you do this anywhere else? Stopped by holding the lids wide and firm and slowly placing the lens on (as James says above). The blink is you panicking. You can stop that.

I want to do it with my fingers, not the sucker
Yes, this is right. You do need to switch to fingers soon, as the sucker is mainly to be used to pick the lens up from the surface if you drop it (to stop you crushing it with your fingers). But if it helps you get started, go for it. As James did above. Figure it out with the sucker and then change over and master using your fingers [CLICK HERE to see our insertion video guide. CLICK HERE to see our removal video guide]

I can still feel the lens in my eye
Your eye should de-sensitise very quickly. As James said “I often wake up and can’t feel the lens in my eye, or the same after I’ve put it in and wonder if it’s in… I just can’t feel it at all!” Very quickly you won’t feel it. If after a week you’re still feeling it, as in it’s uncomfortable, please contact your optician.

I’m just not getting it and I’m thinking about giving up! 🙁
DON’T give up! You will get it, we promise you. People very rarely don’t. Go back to your optician and ask for their help. They’ll happily help you.