Can a contact lens get stuck in your eye?
Yes, a contact lens can get stuck in your eye, but before you spiral, it can’t get lost in there. A contact lens can absolutely cling to your eyeball like a needy ex or disappear under your eyelid like it’s trying to avoid confrontation. But no, it can't sneak behind your eye and take up residence next to your brain. Your eye anatomy simply doesn’t allow it (thanks, conjunctiva, you beautiful biological boundary).
Lenses get stuck for super relatable reasons, like sleeping in them, rubbing your eyes, skipping rewetting drops, or just living your life while your contacts dry out in quiet resignation. The good news is that most stuck-lens situations are annoying but fixable.
We’ll walk you through how to spot a stuck lens, get it out safely (without channeling your inner flailing fish), and what to do if it’s hiding out like it owes you a lot of money.
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How do you know if a contact lens is stuck in your eye?
It’s not always immediately obvious that your contact has staged a disappearing act. You might notice one’s still in there if the following applies:
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It feels like a tiny, scratchy ghost is haunting your eyeball. That gritty, something’s-not-right feeling is a classic sign.
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You’ve got tear production at Oscar-acceptance-speech levels. Redness, watering, itching, and general melodrama — your eye’s trying to evict the intruder.
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Your vision is off. Blurry, smudgy, distorted, like someone rubbed Vaseline on your world.
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You’re suspiciously missing a lens. You went to remove it, yet nothing is on your finger. It could be folded, hidden, or just stuck in a weird corner.
TL;DR: If your eye feels weird and your contact is unaccounted for, assume it’s still in there doing parkour behind your upper lid.
How far can a contact go in your eye?
Despite every horror story you’ve heard from your cousin’s roommate’s girlfriend, a contact lens cannot travel to the back of your eye. There’s a literal wall (called the conjunctival fornix, for those keeping score) that blocks the lens from making any daring escapes.
So, when it feels like your contact has gone deep undercover, it’s probably just chilling under your upper eyelid — maybe crumpled like a sad love letter but accessible nonetheless.
How to remove a stuck contact lens
Time to channel your inner calm cucumber. Just follow these steps like a contact-lens extraction pro:
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Wash your hands like you’re about to perform surgery: Just scrub well with soap and water and dry with a lint-free towel — bonus points for humming the Grey’s Anatomy theme.
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Lube up: Use saline solution or rewetting drops generously, flooding your eye. The goal is to rehydrate the lens until it’s less clingy.
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Play hide-and-seek: Look in the mirror with good lighting. Gently lift your upper lid and look down. Can you spot a glimpse of lens, a shadow, or that classic tinted edge?
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Blink and massage: Blinking can coax a misbehaving lens back to center stage. If that fails, close your eye and gently massage your eyelid like you’re trying to negotiate a truce.
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Pinch it out gently: Once the lens reappears on the white part of your eye (never grab it off the cornea), use clean fingers to remove it with finesse.
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What to do if you can't get a contact lens out
You’ve blinked, lubed, and given your lens a heartfelt monologue. Still stuck?
Let’s regroup.
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Double-check it’s actually still in there: Sometimes, it falls out while you’re mid-panic. Check your face, your sink, your shirt, and your soul.
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Don’t keep poking: Your eye is not a scratch ticket. Give it a break.
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Phone a friend: And by friend, we mean your eye care professional. They’ve got bright lights, tiny tools, numbing drops, and zero judgment.
Now, some stuck-lens scenarios deserve their own movie subplot:
Soft lenses
Soft contacts are like the rom-com leads of the lens world. They're bendy, emotional, high-maintenance, and prone to sticking around too long. If one’s suctioned to your eye, the key is patience, hydration, and more hydration. Keep applying drops until it loosens its grip. Do not, we repeat, DO NOT try to peel it off while dry. That’s how you end up with an angry cornea and a heart full of regret.
Pro tip: Daily disposables tend to dry out less and come with less drama than their reusable counterparts.
Torn lens piece
If you removed a contact and it looks incomplete, odds are a piece is still lurking. Rinse your eye, blink like crazy, squint with suspicion, and scan under your upper lid. You can also try rolling the lid outward (very gently) and using a few extra drops to flush out any escapees.
Missing a chunk? Don’t risk it. Let your eye care pro finish the job. Think of them as the FBI but for contact fragments.
RGP lenses
Rigid gas-permeable lenses are small, durable, high-performing, and sometimes a little too confident. If yours is stuck, avoid rubbing or massaging — pressure can scratch the eye. Instead, use the edge-press method (gently push on the white part of your eye next to the lens), break out your trusty suction plunger, or phone your eye care professional. If those don’t work, definitely don’t start improvising. This is not a DIY moment.
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Learn how to order contact lenses online at 1-800 Contacts
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Can a contact get lost in your eye?
No, it's impossible. No matter how dramatic it feels, a contact lens cannot go rogue and vanish into the void. It can hide in plain sight, fold into a corner, wedge itself under your eyelid, or try to ghost you — but it’s still in the front section of your eye, not doing laps behind your retina.
Eventually, it’ll work its way back out, tear dramatically during removal, or give up and wait for you to come find it (like a cat under a bed).
Can a contact lens go behind your eyes?
One more time for the people in the back: No, your eye is not a tunnel. The back of your eye is off-limits, thanks to a handy anatomical feature called the conjunctiva. Contacts can’t get past it, nor do they want to. Time, drops, and a little lid-flipping action (plus maybe some cursing) will usually bring it back to center.
Give your eye a break (literally)
You did it. You battled the lens beast. Maybe you cried or swore vengeance. But you’re here, your eye is free, and now’s the perfect moment to take a breath — and maybe switch to glasses for the rest of the day.
This is a great time to make sure your contacts game is solid. Old lenses, dry eyes, bad habits, and skipped cleaning sessions are a recipe for drama. Stock up on comfy, breathable lenses that don’t ghost you mid-blink.
Get the same brand your eye care professional prescribed, delivered fast and fuss-free.
Did you know you can order contacts online?
Say goodbye to trips to the eye doctor and hello to convenience! With 1-800 Contacts, you can easily order your contact lenses online and have them delivered straight to your door. Plus, our online vision exam makes it simple to get the prescription you need without leaving home. And the best part? You’ll save money on your first order with 1-800 Contacts. It’s never been easier to get your contacts!
Original publish date: 10/21/2021
Updated date: 8/14/2025