Most contact lens wearers will have little to no issues with their contact lenses, but sometimes things can go wrong. If you wear contact lenses and one of them has rolled up or slipped under your upper or lower eyelid, you should know that how you react can potentially impact your vision and health. Here's what you should and shouldn't do to get help for this problem.

What To Try 

There's really only one thing you can do in this situation at home: flush your eye out.

To try and flush out your eye, tip your head to the side that the contact lens is on. Then, widen your eye as much as you can and liberally apply the eye drops in as quick of a stream as you can. If successful, the contact lens will be flushed out and will fall off of your eye. A contact lens that doesn't fit properly or rolls up off the surface of your eye shouldn't be used. Contact your optician to get an exam to see if you're using the wrong prescription for your contacts.

What Not To Do

Under no circumstances should you try and pluck the contact lens off the surface of your eye. First of all, that would require pulling your eyelid up and away from your eye, which can potentially damage the fragile and delicate skin there. Secondly, putting your fingers directly on the surface of your eye is quite dangerous. Your eyes are even more delicate than your eyelids, and you can potentially introduce dangerous bacteria into your eye that could cause more problems than you already have. If you can't get the contact out, it's time to seek out a professional.

See An Ophthalmologist

Contact an ophthalmologist as quickly as possible when this problem happens and ask for a same-day, emergency appointment. Fixing this issue for you shouldn't take too long, so they'll likely be able to fit you in.

Once you arrive at the office, your eye doctor will come in to see you. They'll examine your eye by pulling up your eyelids to see where the contact is. From there, they'll numb your eye with drops and then will use a sanitized tweezer to pluck the contact lens out.

Your ophthalmologist will also examine your eye after the contact is out, especially if you were trying to pull it out yourself previously. This is to ensure that your eye wasn't scratched or damaged by the contact lens or your prior attempts.

If you need the help of an ophthalmologist, contact a medical center such as Idaho Eye and Laser Center.