Ten Tips For New Circle Lens Wearers

Among beauty bloggers, at least the circle that I to run in, circle lenses seem to be a crucial point to a makeup look. I will not disagree in the slightest - they add something to a look that I can't describe. Pizazz? Za-za-zu? 

Recently I was sent my very first pair from Klenspop and I've somewhat had to learn as I go. Thankfully my boyfriend is a huge cosplay lens wearer and helped walk me through my first experience. 

One of my favorite pictures of us.

These are his zombie lenses. They are the Crazy Color Lens brand that I sold at my shop before I was forced to stop working. 

Since he loves his lenses, I want to get him some UV activated lenses next!

Back to the point. 

Here are some tips for beginners. 

1. When you get your lenses, if they come in a bottle with an aluminium cap protector, be very careful. 

See that ring under the plastic cap? If you follow it around you will see some arrows where you are supposed to pull to remove the ring. It will come apart and start to unwind. If that rim breaks, do not try to pull it off with your fingers. That ring is very sharp and will slice your fingers. Get a pair of scissors and gently pry it off of the plastic stopper that is underneath. 

To read the rest of my first time user tips, look under the cut. 

2. Never put lenses straight from the bottle into your eyes. 

Before you use your lenses for the first time, you need to soak them in multi-purpose lens solution for at least eight hours before you use them for the first time. 

This will disinfect the lenses, cleansing them of any bacteria that may be on them. 

Also, when you're done wearing them, do the same thing. At least four to eight hours for the solution to kill any bacteria. 

There are tons of brands out there. I started with Opti-fresh Puremoist (which is okay), then switched to Biotrue (amazing!). You can even go with a drug store brand. Whatever is comfortable for you and your eyes. 

To prevent bacterial spread, when you put your lenses back into your case put fresh solution in each time. Never water! Even plain water can carry bacteria that could potentially blind you.

3. Always wash your hands before handling your lenses every time. 

Once again, it comes down to bacteria, the last thing that you truly want to introduce into the delicate environment of your eye. 

My best advice is to wash with an antibacterial soap with no moisturizers or anything else that can transfer to your lenses. 

You don't have to go all out on it, I bought mine at my local Dollar Tree store for a buck and it works just as well as Dial brand antibacterial, only it's about four dollars cheaper. 

When you dry your hands, make sure you don't have lint on your hands. That can get stuck on your lens and hurt like hell when it's in your eye. 

4. Always inspect your lenses before putting them into your eyes. 

I cannot stress this enough. This is not only to check for defects in your lenses (which do happen - defects in your lenses can be very dangerous and damage your eyes). Look for tears in the lens, anything stuck to the lens. Even the smallest little thing can cause big trouble for your eyes. 

Once I put my lenses in and didn't realise I had a cat hair in my eyelashes and the hair got caught between my lens and my eyeball. 

I got so scared I nearly had a panic attack because I could see the cat hair in my eye and couldn't get it out. I just knew I'd have to go to the hospital with a cat hair and a contact lens stuck in my eye for the nurses to attempt to get out.  I finally managed to get it out, and I put them away for the rest of the day!

Also, when you are inspecting your lenses before you put them in, make sure that they are facing the right way. 

When your lens is the right direction, if you look at it from an angle you will see it has a curvature to it, curved like the shape of your eye. It will almost look like a little bowl. 

It's in the wrong direction if you look at it from an angle and the outside edges are bowed outward like a little lip. 

5. Clean your lenses each time with solution before you put them into your eyes and after you take them out.

The way I do it is I put my lens in my hand with some solution and gently rub the lens for at least twenty seconds. This advice varies by companies that create solution, but Bausch + Lomb, the people behind Biotrue, say at least twenty seconds to get any bacteria and other debris off. 

Your eyes naturally have protein that can lead to buildup on your lenses, and you don't want that build up if you want a comfortable and safe lens experience. 

6. Lenses will be a little uncomfortable at first. 

If you've never worn any kind of contact lenses, they will feel weird at first. Really weird. Almost like having an eyelash or something in your eye. Don't let that discourage you! My right eye felt comfortable and great from the first moment, but my left eye doesn't take well sometimes. It will take me at least three tries to get it in where it feels right. 

If you get frustrated, stop and wait for a little bit and then try again. 

My first time putting them in it took almost half an hour, with my boyfriend standing behind me and making fun of me the entire time. 

I also felt like my eyes were a little blurry, but I can see the design a smidge. It doesn't show up brown like the lenses, just a little blurry around the edges of my vision. It really isn't a big deal and it goes away after a while. 

7. Use your ring and middle finger to hold your eyes open, and look up. 

One of the first instincts you're going to want to have when you are putting in your lenses is to blink. When you use your middle and ring finger to hold your eyes open, it's much more difficult to blink and makes putting your lenses in much easier. 

Then apply the lens to your eye with your other index finger, or whatever finger you are comfortable using. 

I look super dumb here - my lens is already in and this felt weird!

The picture looks a little odd since I already have my lens in. My pupil is facing up, but my lens stayed in place looking at the camera. 

Once they are in, you can either close your eye and gently massage your eyelid to work the lens into place, or you can do what I do and blink rapidly. I have found that the rapid blinking works better for me. 

I also use this method when I am removing my lenses, since you see that finger coming toward your eye and you are going to want to blink. Then just gently pinch the lens out. It may take you a few tries to get it right. I still have trouble getting them out first shot.

8. Lenses Before Makeup

This is something I learned from other beauty bloggers that wear lenses. Trust me, it's much easier to put your lenses in and then put your makeup on rather than doing it the other way around. You also risk the chance of screwing up your makeup, which is pretty no bueno.

9. Purchase a good eye drop made for contact lenses because your eyes will dry out.

After a little bit of wear, your eyes will start to dry out and it will make your lenses very uncomfortable. 

I recommend getting a drop specifically made for lens users. I have no idea what using regular drops will do, and I'm too afraid to find out.

Most shops you buy lenses from will also have a selection of different drops for sale as well. Look through them, look at the reviews. 

I use Visine for Contacts, and it adds so much more comfort to your wear. It's made specifically for lens wearers. 

Personally, I think this is a staple for those who are wearing lenses. After a few hours you will need the extra moisture. 

10. Don't be afraid to experiment. 

So you got a pair of lenses, and they just aren't right for you. Don't let that stop you from experiencing circle lenses!

Try different brands. There are so many on the market right now that you will have so many different things to choose from it may make the decision a hard one!

Read reviews. See what other people are saying about the lenses. Read blogs. There are lots of bloggers out there reviewing lenses from many different shops. Ask questions before you buy. Most companies are more than happy to answer any questions that you may have. 

Above all, do everything you can to make sure you can do to prevent the introduction of bacteria into your eye. 

Another thing that most places won't tell you is that you need to change your lens case every three months. Once again, bacteria. 

You should also pay attention to the life span of your lenses. Many lenses have a life of one year from the day you open the bottle. There are also disposable dailies that I've seen. Make note of when you open your bottle on your calendar so you can dispose of them after their lifespan has ended. 

I hope you enjoyed this list of things I've learned from experience.

My ex roomie wanted me to add something very important that I had forgotten about: never sleep with your lenses in. She also said if they start to get blurry that they may have gone bad and you will need a new pair. She wears prescription lenses for everyday wear and uses disposables. 

If you are a long time lens user and have more tips to add, please do so in the comment box below! I'm always trying to learn new things about lenses and the health of my eyes.