How can I tell if my contacts are inside out?
It can be difficult to tell if your soft contact lenses are inside out, because they are extremely thin and very pliable. Even experienced contact lens wearers can have trouble with it.
Here are ways to tell if your contact lens is inside out:
Method 1: The Side View
Place the contact lens on the tip of your index finger so the edge of the lens is pointing up. Then hold your finger up directly in front of your eyes so you can look at the lens from the side.
If your contact lens forms a perfect cup-shape with the edge perfectly upright, the lens is correctly oriented and is ready to be placed on your eye. If the edge has a noticeable outward bend (like a rimmed soup bowl), the contact is inside out.
Method 2: The "Taco Test"
Place the contact lens between the tips of your thumb and forefinger, grasping it near the centre so the entire edge is free. Gently squeeze the lens, as if you are about to fold it in half.
If the edge of the lens points upward (resembling a hard-shell taco), the lens is correctly oriented. If the edge bends outward (toward your thumb and finger), the lens is inside out.
Method 3: Check The Edge Tint
If you wear contacts that have a handling tint that extends to the edge of the lens, place the lens on your fingertip (as in Method 1 above), and look down at its edge from above.
If the colour of the handling tint on the lens edge looks very blue (or green, depending on the tint), the lens is correctly oriented. If the colour looks pale or washed out, the lens probably is inside out.
Method 4: Look For Laser Markings
Some contact lenses have a laser marking to help you determine if your contact is inside out. For example, one brand has a "123" laser marking near the edge of the lens.
To view the laser markings, perch the lens on your fingertip (as in Method 1 above), and then hold the lens up to a bright light.
Look at the outside surface of the lens from the side:
If the "123" appears normally, the lens is correctly oriented and ready to be placed on your eye.
If the "123" is backward, the contact is inside out.
If at first you don't see the laser marking, turn the lens on your fingertip to make sure you check its entire surface.
The more you wear contact lenses, the easier it will become to tell if your contacts are inside out.
And don't worry — you won't harm your eye or your contact lens if you put it on inside out.
In most cases, you'll be able to tell almost immediately if a contact lens is inside out. Typically, the lens will feel uncomfortable and will move too much when you blink. It also may move off the centre of your eye or pop out.
If this happens, simply remove the lens, rinse it with a multipurpose contact lens solution and then choose one of the methods above to make sure the lens is correctly oriented before putting it back on your eye.
SEE RELATED: How to use, put in and remove contact lenses
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Page published on Wednesday, 16 March 2022
