Removing Your Scleral Contact Lenses

A larger scleral lens (left)  can be intimidating if you have worn traditional corneal RGPs (right) via

Scleral and mini-scleral lenses are the fastest growing type of rigid gas permeable contact lenses on the market--utilized for corneal degenerations or even normal eyes with higher astigmatism or those wanting better comfort or stability in their current contact lenses.  Insertion and removal are one of the biggest differences between using the larger scleral lenses versus the typical RGP.  Check out this post for insertion techniques.  Today we break down the easiest removal methods, and troubleshooting difficulties when you try to break that suction between your eye and the contact lens at night.

video from Blanchard

Because scleral lenses are larger (typically 14.5mm or bigger in diameter), it is next to impossible to remove these without using a plunger.  Your doctor will typically provide these for you with your lenses, but you can also buy them in bulk on Amazon.   With smaller diameter lenses, you may be able to get your eyelids on either side of the lens and perform a pop-out removal method that you would use with typical RGPs, but for most patients the lens will be just too large to get your eyelids comfortably positioned on either side.

Tips for Success:

• Never Remove the Lens from the Center

  

  It's tempting to want to aim for the center, but don't!  The best way to
  apply your plunger is to aim for the bottom of the lens, around 6:00 via

  
  If you apply your plunger's suction right in the center of the lens, you will be trying to remove the lens at it's point of highest suction to your eye. You may literally feel like you may pull your eye out of the socket when you do it this way, and you may even experience a popping sensation when you finally break the suction between the lens and your eye.  Not only is this uncomfortable, but it can be very painful and leave your eye red and irritated for days.  To prevent this excess suction, apply your plunger just below the center of the lens, around 6:00 if you imagine your lens like a clock.

• Create the necessary tilt before you try to pull the lens out
  After your apply your plunger, make sure that you push in towards the eye and move the plunger slightly upwards as you bring the lens out.  Shifting the lens upward before you pull outward helps to break more of the suction between your eye and the lens. It also helps you to clear your bottom eyelid and will help tilt your lens into the proper position to better clear your top eyelid upon removal.

• Still feeling too much resistance?
  Remove the plunger and try to break more suction manually.  A properly fit contact lens will be able to move a bit with manual handling, even though it is a large contact lens that doesn't move up and down as you blink.  Look up towards the ceiling and with your bottom eyelid try to move the lens up and down just slightly.  Basically you are wiggling the lens.  You can look down and repeat this with your top eyelid. Now reapply your plunger and try again.  The lens should come out easier this time because you just increased the flow of tear film underneath the lens and may have even introduced an air bubble or two that help to limit suction.  

If your lens won't come out, don't panic.  The best thing to do is to take a break and try to work with manually moving your lens up and down for a few minutes instead of pulling excessively with the plunger.  The more you pull on a suctioned lens from the center, the more it will resist.  After you've had a few minutes of manipulating the lens under your eyelid, try again and make sure you aim low with your plunger application.  It's ok to be close to the bottom of the lens.  Most people have much better success if they aim closer to the bottom than if they aim closer to the center at relieving suction!