How to Take Out Contacts: The Art of Removing Those Tiny Lenses Without Drama

I still remember the first time I tried to remove my contact lenses. Twenty minutes in front of a bathroom mirror, eyes watering, fingers fumbling, wondering if these things were permanently fused to my eyeballs. If you're reading this, chances are you've been there too – or you're about to be.

The truth is, taking out contacts becomes second nature eventually. But that "eventually" can feel like an eternity when you're standing there at 2 AM, exhausted, just wanting to get these things out so you can finally sleep. Over my fifteen years of wearing contacts (and teaching countless friends, family members, and one very patient boyfriend), I've discovered that most people struggle not because they lack dexterity, but because they're fighting their own reflexes.

Your Eyes Are Smarter Than You Think

The human eye has evolved some pretty impressive defense mechanisms. That involuntary blink when something approaches? That's millions of years of evolution keeping you safe from flying debris, aggressive insects, and apparently, your own fingers. When you're learning to remove contacts, you're essentially asking your brain to override its most basic protective instincts.

This is why the "just pinch it out" advice you'll find plastered across the internet is about as helpful as telling someone afraid of heights to "just don't look down." Sure, technically accurate, but missing the entire point of why it's difficult in the first place.

The Setup Makes All the Difference

Before we even talk about the actual removal, let's address something most people overlook: preparation. I learned this the hard way during a camping trip when I tried to remove my contacts with dirty hands by the light of a dying flashlight. Spoiler alert: it didn't go well.

First, wash your hands. I mean really wash them – not the quick rinse you do after petting the dog. Use soap, get under those nails, and dry with a clean towel. Paper towels work great because they don't leave those tiny fabric fibers that somehow always manage to stick to your fingers at the worst possible moment.

Here's something I wish someone had told me years ago: the temperature of your hands matters. Cold fingers make everything harder. If you've just come in from outside in winter, run your hands under warm water for a few seconds. Your fingers will be more flexible, and you won't shock your eye with an ice-cold touch.

The Mental Game

Now, about that mirror. Position yourself so you can see clearly without straining. Good lighting is crucial – not the romantic dimmed lights you set for dinner, but bright, even illumination that lets you actually see what you're doing. I've found that bathroom lighting is usually terrible for this, casting shadows right where you don't want them. If possible, face a window during daylight or invest in a small LED mirror.

Before you even touch your eye, take a breath. I'm serious. The more tense you are, the more your eye will fight you. Some people find it helps to blink a few times deliberately, almost like you're warming up. Others prefer to hold their eye open for a few seconds to get used to the sensation. Figure out what works for you.

The Actual Removal (Where Things Get Real)

Alright, here's where most instructions go wrong. They tell you to "look up and slide the contact down" as if your contact lens is just waiting to cooperate. In reality, contacts can be stubborn little things, especially if your eyes are dry or you've been wearing them too long.

Start with your dominant hand (yes, it matters). Use your middle finger to pull down your lower lid. This gives you more room to work and helps prevent that aggressive blinking. With your non-dominant hand, use your middle finger to hold up your upper lid. Some people can do this one-handed, but when you're learning, two hands give you more control.

Now comes the part where personal preference really kicks in. Some people swear by the pinching method – using your thumb and index finger to gently squeeze the lens. Others prefer what I call the "slide and fold" – using one finger to slide the lens down onto the white of your eye, where it naturally wants to fold and come off.

I've noticed that people with longer nails often struggle more with the pinching method. If that's you, try using the pads of your fingers rather than the tips. It feels weird at first, but it prevents that terrifying moment when you realize your nail is dangerously close to scratching your cornea.

When Things Go Wrong (Because Sometimes They Do)

Let's talk about what nobody wants to admit: sometimes the contact just won't come out. Maybe it's dried out, maybe it's moved somewhere weird, maybe Mercury is in retrograde. Whatever the reason, forcing it is never the answer.

If you can't see the contact, don't go fishing for it. I once spent thirty minutes convinced my contact had migrated to the back of my eye (spoiler: that's physically impossible, but try telling that to panic-brain at midnight). Usually, it's just folded up in a corner or already fell out and you didn't notice.

Try adding a drop or two of rewetting solution or artificial tears. Give it a minute to rehydrate the lens. Dry contacts stick like plastic wrap on a hot dish – adding moisture loosens that grip.

If you're really struggling, here's my nuclear option: fill your palm with saline solution, press your eye into it, and blink underwater (so to speak). It looks ridiculous, wastes solution, and you'll need to redo your eye makeup, but it works when nothing else will.

The Soft vs. Hard Lens Debate

Now, everything I've said so far applies mainly to soft contacts, which is what most people wear. But if you're one of the rigid gas permeable (RGP) lens wearers, you're playing a different game entirely.

Hard lenses require a completely different removal technique. You can't pinch them (ouch), and sliding doesn't work the same way. Instead, you need to master the "blink and catch" method. Pull your lids tight from the outer corner of your eye, then blink hard. The lens should pop right out. It's startling the first few times – having something fly out of your eye isn't exactly natural – but it's actually easier than soft lens removal once you get the hang of it.

Building Better Habits

After years of contact lens wear, I've noticed patterns in when removal becomes difficult. Late nights make everything harder – your eyes are tired, your coordination is shot, and your patience is non-existent. If you know you're going out late, consider switching to glasses for the evening or at least bringing your contact case and solution with you.

Allergy season is another nemesis of easy contact removal. When your eyes are already irritated and swollen, adding finger-poking to the mix is a recipe for misery. During high pollen days, I remove my contacts earlier in the evening, before my antihistamines wear off and my eyes turn into itchy disasters.

The Hygiene Lecture Nobody Wants (But Everyone Needs)

Look, I get it. Sometimes you're tired. Sometimes you're traveling. Sometimes you just cannot be bothered to do things "properly." But please, for the love of your corneas, don't cut corners on hygiene.

I knew someone who got a corneal ulcer from repeatedly sleeping in contacts and using saliva (yes, saliva) to rewet them. The infection was so bad she can't wear contacts anymore. Ever. Let that sink in.

Always use fresh solution. Don't top off old solution in your case. Don't use water (tap, bottled, or otherwise). Don't lick your contacts (I can't believe I have to say this, but apparently I do). Your eyes are not invincible, and infections are not worth the thirty seconds you save by being lazy.

The Learning Curve Is Real

If you're new to contacts, give yourself time. It took me two weeks to get comfortable with insertion and removal. My sister picked it up in two days. My dad took a month. There's no standard timeline, and comparing yourself to others just adds unnecessary pressure.

Practice when you're not rushed. Sunday morning is better than Monday when you're already running late for work. Some people find it easier to practice removal right after insertion, when the lens is fresh and mobile. Others prefer to wait a few hours until the lens has settled.

Final Thoughts from a Contact Lens Veteran

After all these years, removing contacts has become as automatic as brushing my teeth. But I still remember that initial fear and frustration. If you're struggling, know that it genuinely does get easier. Your eyes learn to trust your fingers. Your fingers learn to be gentle. Your brain learns to chill out.

And on those days when everything goes wrong – when the lens folds weird, or your eye won't stop watering, or you drop the lens and spend ten minutes crawling around looking for it – remember that even those of us who've been doing this for decades still have those moments. The difference is we've learned to laugh about it instead of cry.

Well, usually. Sometimes we still cry. But at least our contacts are out when we do.

Authoritative Sources:

American Academy of Ophthalmology. Clinical Optics. San Francisco: American Academy of Ophthalmology, 2022.

Bennett, Edward S., and Barry A. Weissman. Clinical Contact Lens Practice. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2021.

Efron, Nathan. Contact Lens Practice. 3rd ed. Edinburgh: Elsevier, 2018.

Phillips, Anthony J., and Lynne Speedwell. Contact Lenses. 6th ed. Edinburgh: Elsevier, 2019.

Ruben, Montague, and Michel Guillon. Contact Lens Practice. London: Chapman & Hall Medical, 2020.