Getting Contact Lenses for the First Time: What to Expect

Getting contact lenses for the first time is straightforward, but it involves more than just picking up a box of lenses. The process — from fitting to learning proper care — takes a few appointments and a short adjustment period. Knowing what to expect makes it much easier.

The fitting appointment

A contact lens fitting is a separate appointment from a routine eye exam. Even if you've had a glasses prescription for years, your optometrist needs to perform specific measurements and assessments before writing a contact lens prescription.

The fitting process typically follows four steps:

1. Assessment — your optometrist evaluates your goals, eye health, tear film quality, and corneal curvature (keratometry or topography). This determines whether contacts are a good match and which lens parameters to start with.
2. Lens selection — the right lens is matched to how you actually live: daily vs monthly, silicone hydrogel vs standard, toric for astigmatism if needed.
3. Instruction and confirmation — you practice insertion and removal in the office. You won't leave until you're confident, and your optometrist has confirmed the fit, centration, and lens movement look correct.
4. Follow-up and refinement — a follow-up visit (usually 1–2 weeks later) checks fit and corneal health, and adjusts anything that isn't working.

At the end of the fitting appointment, you'll receive a trial supply and instructions on care.

Learning to insert and remove lenses

This is the part most first-time wearers are apprehensive about — and most find it much easier than expected after a few tries.

Insertion: Wash and dry your hands thoroughly. Place the lens on the tip of your index finger, look straight ahead or slightly up, pull your lower lid down gently with your middle finger, and place the lens on the lower white of your eye. Look downward to centre the lens.

Removal: Wash hands. Look up, pull your lower lid down, slide the lens down to the white of your eye, then gently pinch it out with your thumb and index finger. Never remove a lens by pinching directly from the coloured part of your eye.

Practice in the office before you leave — your optometrist or a trained staff member will walk you through it and won't let you leave until you're confident.

Lens types: daily vs monthly

For most first-time wearers, your optometrist will recommend one of two formats:

Daily disposable lenses are worn once and discarded. No cleaning, no lens case, no solutions. Lower infection risk due to fresh lenses each day. Slightly higher per-lens cost but lower overall cost of ownership when you factor in solution.

Monthly reusable lenses are worn for up to 30 days (with nightly removal and cleaning). Lower per-lens cost, but require consistent daily cleaning with appropriate solution and a lens case.

First-time wearers who wear lenses occasionally (a few days per week rather than daily) are usually better served by dailies. Consistent daily wearers may prefer monthlies for cost reasons.

Hygiene rules that matter

Contact lens infections are rare but serious. The habits that prevent them are simple:

• Always wash and dry your hands before handling lenses. This is the single most important habit.
• Never sleep in lenses unless specifically approved for extended wear. The cornea needs overnight oxygen exposure. Sleeping in lenses dramatically increases infection risk.
• Never rinse lenses or cases with tap water. Tap water can harbour Acanthamoeba, an organism that causes a severe corneal infection.
• Replace lenses on schedule. Wearing monthly lenses for six weeks doesn't save money — degraded lenses increase discomfort and infection risk.
• Replace your lens case every 1–3 months.

Your follow-up appointment

A follow-up visit 1–2 weeks after your fitting is standard. Your optometrist will check the fit, assess corneal health, and address any comfort issues. This is the time to raise any questions about comfort, vision quality, or care.

After the initial fitting period, contact lens wearers typically have an annual comprehensive eye exam that includes an assessment of contact lens fit and corneal health. This exam is recommended regardless of how comfortable your lenses feel — changes in fit or corneal health can develop without obvious symptoms.