UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Hello

Tonight I was taking out my Scleral contact lenses with those plunger things, it got stuck and it seemed as if my whole eyeball was being pulled out. The lens did come off and my eye went back in place but it did scare me quite a bit. It all seems alright now though.

On my last visit at moorfields the lady did say the lens seemed to fit tightly on me when she took it out.

Has this ever happened to anyone else before, or has anyone ever had other similar problems?


Thanks

Hi,

Yes, you're not alone. You really need to break the vacuum before removing the lens.

Rather than just pull the plunger, I tried to stick it off-centre slightly, then rotate it. Because your eyeball isn't a sphere, you'll break the suction on your eye, and it should soon come out easily.

The other thing to watch out for is to ensure that the eyelids are VERY open. It's easy to have them too closed when you're tired and be fighting against your lids!

Hello

Thanks for your quick reply and reassurance. I was quite worried at the time and thought I may even have caused some damage as the whole eyeball moved out. My sister was even encouraging me to go to AE but it seems OK now.

ALWAYS use wetting drops before removing a lens.

Use the plunger near one edge of the lens.

Both drops and plungers sometimes go on sale at the pharmacy.........but you have to keep an eye out for them!! (sorry.......just couldn't resist.......)

Piper

Yes to the above. In addition I used to press against my eye, THROUGH THE eyelid, just beyond the rim of the lens. This altered the geometry of my eye, so that the snug fit of the lens was broken and any vacuum removed.

All the best

Andrew

Glad that you are ok now. That is scary and i have done it a few times myself when i wore sclerals!

Breaking the vacuum should make it come out easier.

Take care, love Sweet X x X