Eye Society

What to do if you drop your contact lens on the floor

Jul 25, 2025

One minute you're preparing to take on the world, and the next, you can barely make out 2 feet in front of you. Don't panic! Dropping a contact is practically a rite of passage. If you haven't done it yet, consider your lucky days numbered.

The good news is that dealing with a missing lens can have a nostalgic appeal — just think of it as a game of hide-and-seek with an inanimate object.

Grab a snack, sit back, and relax while we tell you how to find a dropped contact lens:

Stay still and look around for your lens. If you find it, pick it up.
If you don't locate it, remove your shoes. Removing your shoes reduces the risk that you might damage your contact if you step on it during your search.
Expand your search, or recruit a low-angle flashlight or a vacuum hose wrapped in nylon stockings.
Check the surrounding area carefully. Don't forget to inspect your clothes and body, the floor, and anything else around you.
If you find your lens, clean and disinfect it immediately. Skip the tap water and use a specialized lens cleaner.
Contact your eye care professional if you experience pain or irritation after disinfecting and reinserting your lens.

This article offers in-depth advice on looking for a dropped lens, what to do when you find it, and the best drops and cleaning solutions. We also explain what to do if your lens pulls a disappearing act and you can't find it, even after searching thoroughly.

How to find a lost contact lens on the floor

If you dropped a contact lens on the floor, the best thing to do is search for it immediately. With a little detective work, you can find your missing lens and move on with your day.

No need to call in a search party — just follow these tips:

Remove your shoes: Yes, we're repeating ourselves, but only because it's super important. Unless you want to experience the sick feeling of hearing a lens crunch under your feet, you'll remove your shoes before doing anything else.
Use a low-angle flashlight: Have you ever snickered at the ridiculous use of flashlights in your favorite crime shows? How do the characters expect to see anything when their flashlight beams are bouncing off the ceiling? That's why you need to keep your flashlight at a low angle. Turn off the overhead lights, turn on your flashlight, and crouch down. (Sore knees are worth the recovered lens.)
Try a vacuum cleaner: If you slip a nylon stocking over the end of the hose, you can capture your missing lens without it getting sucked up in the vacuum cleaner like stray bobby pins. Make sure you secure the stocking with a rubber band so it doesn't slip off while you're looking for your contact.
Check your fabrics: Contacts and fabric go together like peanut butter and jelly, so don't forget to check your clothing. If you don't find the lens right away, check any nearby area rugs or bedding.
Use a lint roller: If you don't have nylon stockings on hand, run a lint roller over the floor where you dropped the lens. The sticky surface can trap your contact without damaging it.

Above all, stay calm! Move slowly and deliberately to avoid damaging a contact lens that fell on the floor.

If you drop a contact lens on the floor, can you still use it?

Yes, you can use a lens you dropped on the floor, as long as it doesn't appear damaged. You should disinfect it thoroughly before reinserting it. (Your eyes are more fragile than your ears. You can't pick up a contact like a dirty earring, blow on it, and call it a day.)

How to clean and disinfect a dropped lens

If you find your contact, pat yourself on the back, rinse it off and clean it with a solution designed specifically for lenses. Don't just pop it back in, or you might end up with an eye infection caused by one of the germs hanging out on your floor. This isn't a dig at your cleaning skills — germs tend to congregate anywhere humans spend time.

Whether you dropped a contact lens in the sink or lost it in the folds of your favorite sweatpants, it's important to clean it thoroughly. Follow these tips:

Wash your hands with soap and warm water: The last thing you need is Cheetos dust in one of your eyes.
Rinse your lens with a multipurpose contact lens solution: Don't use tap water on your contacts. It's not sterile, so it can contaminate your lens with bacteria or viruses. Some water sources also contain acanthamoeba, tiny organisms that form cysts. If an acanthamoeba gets in your eye, it can cause a painful infection.
Gently rub the lens between your fingertips to remove dirt and debris.
Soak your contact lens in fresh solution for at least 6 hours.

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What to do if your contact falls out and you have no solution

If you don't have cleaning solution on hand, put the dropped lens back in its case. Remove your other contact to avoid getting a headache or dealing with blurry vision all day. Don't give in to the temptation to rinse your lens with tap water. Do you want an amoeba swimming around in your eye? We didn't think so.

Keep your lenses in a clean, dry case until you get home (or have a chance to stop at a store for lens cleaner). Don't reinsert your dropped lens until you've soaked it in contact solution for at least 6 hours.

If you wear daily disposables, forget everything we just said. You can simply throw away the dropped lens and insert a new one. That's just one of the many benefits of wearing daily lenses.

How to prepare for a dropped lens

You're more likely to drop a lens than you are to win the lottery, so it makes sense to be prepared. If possible, have contact lens solution, a case, and a pair of backup glasses with you at all times. The Framery has a huge selection of glasses and allows you to try on multiple pairs for free before you buy.

It's also helpful to keep an extra pair of contacts on hand, just in case your dropped lens is damaged when you find it.

There's no secret hack to putting in contacts, but the following tips can help you reduce the risk of dropping your lenses:

Wash and dry your hands thoroughly before handling your contacts. This ensures you don't have oily substances on your fingers that could make it difficult to maintain your grasp on each lens.
Make sure the lens isn't inside-out before you try to insert it.
Make sure your lenses fit properly. If they're ill-fitting, they're more likely to fall out when you try to insert them.
Inspect your lenses carefully before inserting them. Don't try to insert a damaged contact, as it's likely to fall out (and it's not great for your eyes, either).
Keep your eyes moist. Dry eyes make it harder for your lenses to stay in place.

If you drop your contacts frequently, consider switching to daily disposables. They don't fix your coordination, but they can help you avoid getting stuck miles from home with no lens solution and no way to see what you're doing. Some of the daily disposables available at 1-800 Contacts include:

You can also place a towel over your sink or vanity before inserting your lenses. A towel gives your contacts a soft place to land if you drop them, and it may also prevent your lenses from falling down the drain.

Dropping a contact isn't the end of the world, as long as you disinfect the lens before reinserting it. If you can't find your lens no matter how hard you try, 1-800 Contacts has you covered. Use our website to find your preferred brand and get your vision back on track.

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: 5/26/2022

Updated date: 7/25/2025