Contacts and long fingernails: can they go together?

Question

The longer my fingernails get, the harder it is to take out my contacts. Any suggestions? (besides keeping the nails short - that's a no-brainer)

Answer 1

well i don't have freakishly long fingernails, but i do keep them long.  i've been wearing contacts for years and never had a problem, the hardest thing i guess would be getting it out of the case, so if you can't do that then they're too long. once they're on your finger, it's easy to put in/take out. you learn to adjust without thinking about it

Answer 2

I have really long nails and also wear contacts. At first when I started growing my nails it was a challenge to put my contacts in (and take them out) but you will find a way really quickly. I use the almost inside of the nail tips to take the lens out, and put them in using the pad of my index finger. I haven't torn a lens this way and have been doing it for about 5 years.

Hope that helps..

Answer 3

It does get harder with longer fingernails.  Just try like heck to use only your fingertips.  I suppose you could slid them to the outside of your eye to get a better grip on them.

Answer 4

I have also had success with using the sides of my forefinger and thumb.  Make sure to slide it to the white part of your eye first, though, to avoid scratching your cornea.

Answer 5

I have a few patients with very long nails who have learned how to do it using just the side of the finger and thumb, rather than the pad.

It looks a bit awkward to watch them do it, but it works quite well for them...lol