How To Tell If Contact Lenses Are Inside Out

Many new contact lens wearers, and even some experienced ones, have difficulty knowing how to tell if contact lenses are inside out. It is important to know how to do this because an inverted contact lens that goes onto the eye will not be comfortable, will not provide clear vision, and will risk falling out of the eye and getting lost.

There are several methods to determine whether a lens is inside out or not, and in this post I will explain my 5 favorite techniques.

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Medical disclaimer: I am not a doctor and this article is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please read Contacts Advice Terms of Use before continuing.

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Technique #1: Edge Shape

The first technique is to place the lens on the tip of your finger, hold it up at eye level, and observe the edges of the contact lens. There will be a subtle difference in the way the edges look for a contact lens that is correct versus one that is inverted. When the lens is in the correct orientation, the edges of the contacts curve straight upwards, like a bowl shape. When the contact lens is inverted, the edges will tend to flare outwards, like a saucer shape.

If you find this difference too subtle, read on — there are plenty of other tricks!

Technique #2: The Taco Test

The second technique can be done immediately following the first technique in order to reaffirm your suspicions. Again, with the contact lens placed on the tip of your finger, use the index finger and thumb of your other hand to push two opposing edges of the contact lens together, as though you were trying to close it.

As you push the two halves towards each other, if the edges come together and the contact lens starts to take a hard-shelled taco shape, this means the lens is in the correct orientation.

Alternatively, if the edges of the lens move away from each other and seem to want to stick to your finger and thumb, this means the lens is inside out.

Technique #3: The Easy Flip Test

The extent to which this technique will be effective may depend on the specific brand of contact lenses you're using. But in general, a contact lens will be more difficult to flip when it is in the correct orientation, and vice versa — it will flip more easily when it is in the inverted position.

If you are unsure about how to use the first two techniques, flip your contact lens in and out a few times. If it is difficult to flip, you've most likely just made it inside out. If it flips almost without any effort, you've most likely just flipped it into the correct position.

If you've just used this technique to figure out which way is correct, I would recommend rinsing the contact lens off with cleaning solution before you insert it, because you will have certainly been touching the inside of the contact lens with your fingers by doing this.

Technique #4: Keep the Original Orientation

This technique applies mostly to daily lenses, but can also be used for bi-weekly and monthly lenses. This technique replaces the need to check for 'inverted-ness' using the above techniques by simply paying attention to the way the contacts are inside the packaging.

When the contact lenses are made, they are placed into their packaging in the correct way. It is very rare for the contact lenses to flip on their own within the sealed blister packs, therefore, when you open the little pack that contains your lens, you can safely assume that it's already in the correct position.

So by simply making sure you don't flip the lens as you remove it from the blister pack, you know it will not be inverted.

Technique #5: The Last Resort

The final technique is to just put the contact lens in your eye. If it is correct, it will feel comfortable within seconds, your vision should be clear, and blinking should not cause the lens to move about wildly on your eye. If this is the case, great! You're free to go about your day. If it was inside out however, you will feel it! It will not become comfortable, your vision will be off, and every time you blink you will feel the contact lens moving around all over the place. That's when you know to take it out, flip it, and re-insert it. Obviously, this is the last technique you want to have to resort to, but having an inverted contact lens on for a few seconds, though it may be uncomfortable, will not harm your eye.

Over time as you become more familiar with how contact lenses feel, you will begin to develop an instinct for it and not have to go through these steps every time. You will eventually be able to insert and remove your contact lenses with your eyes closed (figuratively speaking, of course)! Be patient with yourself at first and give yourself enough time to insert your contact lenses before you go off to school, work, etc. This will take the stress and frustration off of racing against the clock to get them in!

I hope you found this information helpful. If you have any questions, or if you have any of your own helpful tips or tricks regarding this subject, I would love to hear them!