Contact Lens Stuck In Eye? What Should You Do?
For contact lens wearers, one of the most stressful things is having a contact lens get stuck in their eye. The good news is, in most situations, this is more of an annoyance and once the contact lens is removed, you are unlikely to have any long term issues. If you are just starting to wear contact lenses, it is a good idea to try getting them in and out of your eye during normal business hours so that if you do have a problem, you can easily get in touch with your eye doctor.
Can A Contact Lens Get Stuck Behind The Eye?
No, it can not get stuck behind the eye. This is a common myth / misconception. The part of the eye where a contact lens is placed does not directly connect to the tissue that is located behind the eye where the optic nerve is. So, while the contact lens can get stuck under the lower eyelid or under the upper eyelid, a contact lens is not able to travel behind the eye.
Is It Dangerous To Have A Stuck Contact Lens?
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As long as you can have the contact lens removed in a timely fashion (within a few hours), a stuck contact lens is unlikely to cause any major eye problems. If you are new to wearing contact lenses, this is why it is important to try taking them in and out of your eye during normal business hours. This way if you are unable to take your contact lens out, your eye doctor is likely to be available in the office. If you are not confident in your ability to take your contact lenses in and out of your eye, do not try to this over a weekend when someone may not be available to help you. If a contact lens stays in the eye for too long, there are some dangerous things that can happen to your eye. Some of the things that can occur if the stuck contact is in the eye too long include a corneal abrasion (scratch on the eye), and in a more severe case, patients can even get a corneal ulcer.
What You Should Do If You Have A Contact Lens Stuck In Your Eye
The first step is to call an eye doctor. An eye doctor can use a special microscope called a slit lamp to examine your eye and figure out where the contact lens is. The eye doctor may use a special yellow dye called fluoroscein to help locate where the contact lens is. The eye doctor may also have to flip your eyelid in order to get a better view if they think the contact lens is hiding under the eyelid. If the ophthalmologist finds a scratch on the eye, which is called a corneal abrasion, they will likely give you antibiotic eye drops for this.
