Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: U Test
• Method 2 of 3: Taco Test
• Method 3 of 3: Surface Lens Inspection
• Tips
• Warnings

Putting on a soft contact lens can be challenging, and because the lens is so thin, it can sometimes be difficult to tell which way it is turned (front or back). To avoid possible discomfort and pain due to incorrectly inverted lenses, make sure to insert them in the correct way by performing several tests.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: U Test

1. 1 Place the contact lens on your finger. The rounded side should point down and touch your finger. If it looks like a dome, then it is turned out correctly. If it looks like a bowl or bowl with a raised, rounded side, then the contact lens is turned inside out. If you look inside the lens, it will bend backward at the edges.
   • If you are having trouble keeping the lens still, place it in your palm.
2. 2 Raise the lens to eye level. You need to look at the lens at the correct angle. Viewing from different angles can play a trick on your eyes, especially when you consider the fact that you need contact lenses to see better. Take a look at it directly from the sides.
3. 3 Look for "U". When the contact lens is turned to the correct side, it has a completely rounded appearance. It should look like a wide U. Turned inside out, it looks more like the letter "V" than "U".
   • Notice the expansion around the edges. If the bottom of the lens isn't telling you anything, examine the edges. If the lens is turned inside out, they will look stretched out to the sides.
   • If the lens expands upward, and its outline cannot be called straight, then it is most likely turned inside out.

Method 2 of 3: Taco Test

1. 1 Place the lens between your index finger and thumb. Position it so that your fingers touch the inside of the contact lens without covering or touching the edges of the contact lens. There should be enough free space to allow the edges of the contact lens to bend.
2. 2 Gently squeeze the lens. Just watch, don't break it. The point of this test is not to check the integrity of the lens or the limits of its elasticity. You just need to see what shape it will take when you bend it.
3. 3 Examine the lens. If its edges are directed upwards, as in the taco of the same name, the shape of the lens is correct. If they are round or curved, then the lens is inside out and needs to be fixed.
   • If you squeeze correctly inverted lenses, then their bend should be enough so that they snuggle together.

Method 3 of 3: Surface Lens Inspection

1. 1 Find laser markings. Some lens manufacturers use lasers to burn out tiny numbers on their lenses, which can make things much easier for you. Place the lens on your index finger with the rounded side down. Examine the lens from all sides looking for markings. If they are not upside down, then the lens is turned out correctly.
2. 2 Examine the side paint. If you have tinted lenses, they will look different when turned inside out. Place the lens on your fingertip and lower your hand. Look down. If the edge is blue or green (depending on the type of lens shading), then everything is fine. If the edges are of a different color, they are turned inside out.
3. 3 Put on the lens. If none of the tests shed light on the problem, you may have to put on your contact lenses this way. If you are not completely new to contact lens wear, you will immediately feel if the contact lens is inserted inside out. The eye will start to ache, itch and give you all kinds of inconvenience.
   • Just be careful not to confuse the irritation of an inside out lens with a dirty lens inserted correctly.

Tips

• Do not use your fingernails when flipping the lens. Soft lenses are fragile and can break.
• Wash your hands thoroughly before starting any inspection. The smallest particles of dirt trapped under the lenses can create huge problems.
• Use a cleaning solution to rinse the lens off before putting it back on.
• Apply a drop of saline to the lens every minute while outdoors to keep it from drying out.
• Use a cleaning solution when caring for your contact lenses. Otherwise, the lenses may deteriorate.

Warnings

• Handle the lens with care. If you drop it, from a hygiene point of view, you will no longer be able to use it.
• Do not dry contact lenses during inspections to avoid tearing them.