# First Time Contact Lens Wearers

New wearers are taught insertion and removal in person with practice time, leave with a starter kit, and build wearing time gradually over the first week. Most people manage insertion confidently within a few days.

The universal worry before a first fitting is touching your own eye. It is worth saying plainly that almost everybody manages it, usually within one appointment, and that the fear fades much faster than people expect.

Nobody leaves without demonstrating that they can insert and remove the lenses themselves. That takes as long as it takes, and it is a much better use of the appointment than being handed a leaflet.

Wearing time then builds gradually, typically starting at four to six hours and adding an hour or two a day. That lets the eye adapt and makes it obvious if something is not right.

## Our process

1. **Fitting appointment** (30 to 45 minutes): Eye assessment, corneal measurement, tear film check and trial lens evaluation.
2. **Handling training** (as long as needed): Insertion and removal taught with practice until you can do both yourself confidently.
3. **Starter kit and first lenses** (same visit): Travel solution, storage case and your first lenses to take home.
4. **Build up week** (week one): Wearing time increases gradually from a few hours to a full day.
5. **Follow up** (1 to 2 weeks): Fit, comfort and corneal health rechecked, and adjustments made if needed.


## Questions and answers
**What if I cannot get them in?**

Nearly everyone can with guidance, and you will not be sent home until you can do it. If it genuinely does not work after proper practice, that is worth knowing before buying a year's supply.

**Can a lens get lost behind my eye?**

No. The conjunctiva connects the eye to the eyelid and forms a sealed pocket. A lens can slide under the upper lid and feel alarming, and it can always be retrieved.

**How long until they feel normal?**

Soft lenses feel comfortable almost immediately and become unnoticeable within days. Rigid lenses take one to two weeks of consistent wear.

**What is normal in the first week?**

Mild awareness, occasional watering, and tiredness towards the end of a long day. Pain, significant redness or blurred vision are not normal and mean take them out and call.

## Related

- https://eyedoctorphoenixaz.com/contact-lenses/contact-lens-exam
- https://eyedoctorphoenixaz.com/contact-lenses/contact-lens-care-and-hygiene
- https://eyedoctorphoenixaz.com/contact-lenses/guaranteed-contact-lens-success-program

---## About this practice
Arizona's Vision Eye Care Center, 15215 S 48th St Ste 180, Phoenix, AZ 85044.
Phone (480) 706-3937. Monday to Thursday 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Friday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Closed Saturday and Sunday.
Independent optometry practice, founded 1994. One location. Does not perform refractive or cataract surgery.
This site publishes no star rating and no review count, because the figures across the practice's own properties contradict one another and cannot be verified.
This page is general information, not medical advice.