Just don’t flush your eye with tap water, Dr. Thau warns. “If your eye is irritated, there can be [microscopic tears or scratches], and microorganisms can get into your eye,” causing an infection, she says. And never squirt a contact-lens solution that contains hydrogen peroxide directly into your eye—again, any version of rewetting drops or regular ol’ saline is best here.
If you’re struggling to get the liquid into your eye without blinking, it might help to enlist a trusted friend to carefully drop it into the corner of your eye while you look away.
Look in the opposite direction of where you think the lens is located, and lift your lid to find it and maneuver it out.
You can do a little manipulation with your fingers to access and nudge out the lens—but before you put your hands anywhere near your eyes, give them a good wash first. You don’t want to mistakenly transport bacteria right onto your eyeball, Dr. Brisette says.
From there, do your best to assess where you think it is, even if you aren’t totally sure. Generally, it’s more likely to be under your upper lid because there’s more area and the stronger muscle is more likely to pull the lens up. Then, look away from that direction to locate it—so if you think it’s under your upper lid toward the right, lift the lid and look down and toward the left.