How can I tell my contact lens is inside out?

Almost always, you’ll find that your contact lens is already in the correct position when you take it out of its blister pack. On a very rare occasion, however, it may be flipped the wrong way round, or it may pop outwards if you’re struggling with it while placing it into your eye.

The important thing to remember is there’s no need to worry, putting your lens in the wrong way will not hurt or damage your eye. Simply take it out, rinse it with solution and re-insert the lens.

Here are some things to look out for if you’re struggling to tell if your lens is sitting the right way:

The shape of the lens

The first thing you should check is the shape of the lens. Place the lens on the tip of your finger and pay attention to how it is curved. The lens should sit in a smooth, round curvature that looks like a bowl, and if it’s the wrong way round will be in a shape that almost resembles a saucepan.

Possible etching on the lens

A small number of contact lens manufacturers etch markings on the inside of the lenses they make, a feature which is slightly more common on coloured contact lenses. There may be also be a small number marking of ‘123’, an application indicator that manufacturer’s commonly implement, or perhaps letters.

How it feels in your eye

A contact lens that is put in the wrong way round will generally be more uncomfortable and may feel slightly like it is lightly scraping your eye. It won’t sit comfortably on the curvature of your eye and will easily move from the centre of your eye and may even pop out.

How your vision looks

The most obvious sign that your contact lens in the wrong way round will be your vision. If you put your lens in and your vision is still blurry and has not been corrected, remove your lens, pop your contact lens the other way round, rinse it in solution and re-insert the lens.

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