Overcome your fear of putting on contact lenses

Learning how to put on your contact lenses doesn’t have to be scary. It might seem intimidating—touching your eye, placing a tiny lens on the surface—but with some patience and practice it quickly becomes a simple part of your day.

Medically reviewed on August 9, 2025

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Published on November 12, 20025

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5 minute read time

First and foremost, start with patience

Let’s get one thing out of the way—nobody is a pro at putting on their contact lenses right away. Similar to how learning to drive can be scary at first, but eventually become second nature, most people need a little time to get comfortable learning how to put on their contact lenses, and it’s normal to struggle a bit at first. Even experienced wearers sometimes find themselves fumbling during busy mornings or tired evenings. The truth is, like any new skill, it gets easier with practice. Don’t be discouraged if your first few attempts aren’t perfect—keep trying, and soon it’ll feel as natural as putting on your glasses.

Not used to your fingers being near your eyes?

If the scariest part of putting on the contact lens for you is touching your eye, ask your eye doctor if there are exercises you can do or ways you can practice getting comfortable touching your eyes. They may recommend things like brushing your eyelashes, and/or touching the white part of your eye with clean, dry hands.

Set yourself—and your workspace—up for success

Before you even touch your contact lenses, it can help to get yourself and your space ready. A little preparation can help save you from unnecessary stress. Here’s what that may include:

Find a comfortable, well-lit space

Good lighting and a clean, flat surface — like a countertop or tabletop — will make the process easier. Working over a basin or with a towel underneath can help catch any accidentally dropped lenses.

Make sure your nails are groomed

Keep your nails trimmed and smooth to avoid scratching your eye or tearing the lens. If you’re a person that usually prefers long nails, it may help to keep your thumb and pointer finger a little bit shorter.

Putting on contacts with long nails

Time to put on your lenses

If you’re nervous about putting on your contact lenses, that’s totally normal. The only way out is through, as they say. So take a deep breath, go slowly, and follow along with these steps for how to put on your contact lenses.

1. Wash and dry your hands thoroughly

This is always going to be step one any time you’re going to handle your lenses or touch your eye. Use a mild soap free from oils, fragrances, or lotions. Wash well, rinse thoroughly, and dry with a lint-free towel or a microfiber cloth. Clean hands help prevent bacteria or oils from transferring to your lenses or eyes, helping you avoid infection or discomfort. This is also why it’s recommended that you put on your contact lenses before putting makeup on (bonus that it can help you see what you’re doing more clearly!)

2. Check the packaging and contact lenses

When you’re starting with fresh contact lenses, whether that means you’re wearing daily disposables or reusable lenses, you always want to make sure that the packaging is not open or damaged. Once you’ve checked that, open the package.

3. Put the contact lens on your fingertip and check it

Place a finger on the lens and slide the lens up the side of the bowl of the lens packaging. Place it on the tip of your fingertip, ideally your index or middle finger of your dominant hand. The lens should look like a tiny bowl with straight edges. If it looks like a saucer with flared edges, it’s inside out. Some contact lenses have an “inversion indicator,” which may be text, numbers or markings. Ask your eye doctor if your lens has one. Finally, make sure the lens isn’t damaged or torn. If anything looks off, or if it doesn’t hold the proper shape, discard it and grab a fresh one.

Visual learner? Follow along with our how-to videos.

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4. Hold your eyelids open

Use your non-dominant hand to pull up your upper eyelid and gently pin it to your brow bone to keep it from being able to close. Then, with a finger of your dominant hand, gently pull down the lower lid and pin it to your cheekbone. Since it’s your first time, your reflex may be to blink a lot and it may be hard to keep your eye open. Take a deep breath and be patient. It may take a few tries.

5. Place the lens

Now the part we’ve all been waiting for. Look straight ahead or up slightly towards the ceiling, whichever feels most natural for you. Then, very gently, touch the lens to the surface of your eye. Don’t press hard—let the moisture and natural adhesion do the work. When it’s on your eye, close your eyelids slowly, then gently blink a few times to help settle the lens into place. If everything went well, the lens should feel comfortable, and your vision should be clear. If there’s a bubble under your lens, try to look “into” the bubble and blink, which can help squeeze the bubble out.

6. Check your lens placement

After applying your lens, blink a few times and see how your eye feels. Is the lens centered? Comfortable? Is your vision clear? Moving your eyes in different directions (up, down, left, right) can help position the lens more comfortably and improve vision clarity. Note that a lens that’s inside out may feel like it moves around more than usual or may even be uncomfortable like an eyelash on the eye. If the lens feels weird or your vision is blurry, you might need to remove it. If you wear daily disposables, throw away the lens and try again with a new one. If you wear reusable lenses, rinse, check that it’s not inside out, and re-apply. If the problem continues after these steps, take the lens off and get in touch with your eye doctor.

Troubleshooting tips for when things don't go as planned

Even with the best preparation, mishaps can happen. Here are some quick tips if you run into a problem.

Contact lens won’t stay on your eye

This is a very common struggle with new contact lens wearers. The lens may tend to stay on your finger if your finger is too wet from when you scooped your lens out of its case or packaging. If this happens, wipe the excess solution off your fingertips and try again.

The lens feels stuck, out of place, or uncomfortable

If you wear daily disposables, throw away your lens and use a fresh one. If you wear reusable lenses, remove the problem lens, inspect for damage or dirt, rinse with solution, and try again. Using rewetting drops approved for use with contact lenses may help with comfort.

If the lens isn’t centered

Gently move it into place by blinking or softly massaging the eyelid while closed.

You dropped your contact lens

If it is a daily disposable lens, it’s best to throw it away and use a new one. If you wear reusable lenses, you'll need to soak for the recommended disinfection time indicated in the solution instructions, usually several hours to overnight.

The lens goes on your eye but you keep blinking it out

This happens when the contact lens is placed on the eye but isn’t flush with your eye, like if there’s a bubble under the lens or the lens is folded a little bit. When you place the contact lens on your eye next, if you can see a bubble in your field of vision, look at the bubble and blink. This can help work the bubble out from under the lens.

Can’t quite figure it out? Talk to your eye doctor.

Putting on contact lenses shouldn’t be a stressful experience. If you ever feel unsure or encounter persistent problems, your eye doctor is just a call away.

Find an eye doctor

FAQs

Frequently asked questions

How can I tell if my contact lens is inside out?

Your contact lens should be a smooth, bowl-shaped curve with straight edges. If the edges flare outward or it looks like a saucer, it’s probably inside out.

What’s the easiest way to learn how to put on contacts as a beginner?

Start with good lighting, use a mirror, be patient, and follow along with the instructions provided to you by your eye doctor. Understand that it may take you a few tries or more each time until you get the hang of it.

Can I use tools like contact lens inserters?

Soft contact lens removal should generally be done without the use of tools, because a contact lens may need to be quickly taken off in certain situations, like if you’re experiencing severe irritation. If you are not practiced at removing your contact lenses with your fingers, this could pose problems. In certain situations your eye doctor may recommend a remover tool, like if you have limited use of your fingers, but always defer to the instructions and recommendations of your eye doctor.

What if my lens keeps slipping or I keep dropping it?

Practice handling your lenses with dry, clean hands. Remember to go slowly and work on staying relaxed. If you continue to struggle, reach out to your eye doctor for guidance.

I’m worried I might damage my lenses or hurt my eyes. What should I do?

Handle lenses with gentle fingers, keep nails short, and don’t apply excessive force. If you’re uncomfortable, ask your eye doctor for tips or a demonstration.

Why is it important to keep hands clean and dry?

Clean, dry hands protect your eyes from bacteria, dirt, and oils that can cause irritation or infections. Always wash before handling your lenses.