Everyday Contact Lens Questions: Multifocals, Insertion Nerves and Travel

Contact lenses should make life easier — not harder. This week, the questions we answered for Reimbold Eye Group patients were all about real life: multifocals after 40, getting past the flinch when you put a lens in, hiking in the rain, and what tools actually help with removal.

Here's a clear guide to those everyday contact lens questions, in plain language.

Are multifocal contacts a good alternative to progressive glasses?

For many people, yes. Multifocal contacts are a balance. Most wearers don't get exactly the sharpness of progressives at every distance. Distance and phone range are often very good. The hardest task is usually fine print in dim light.

• Book a contact lens exam (not only a glasses exam) with an optometrist who fits multifocals. Trial lenses let you try them right away.
• Expect one or two follow-up visits. Fitters often fine-tune the power between the two eyes.
• Daily disposable multifocals are convenient: a fresh lens each day and nothing to clean.
• Ask about monovision too — one eye set for distance and the other for near. Some people prefer it.

Wear them for a few full days before an important event, including in a dim restaurant, so nothing surprises you. Our post on why reading gets harder after 40 explains the near-vision change that drives this choice.

I'm scared of putting contacts in and keep flinching. How do I get past it?

That flinch is a protective blink reflex, and it almost always fades with practice. How you do at the first visit doesn't predict how you'll do in a month.

• Practice without a lens first. With clean hands, touch the white of your eye (not the center) with a fingertip wet with saline, a few times a day.
• Break it into steps: hold your lids open for 10 seconds, then bring a lens close without touching, then the full insertion. Stop before you feel overwhelmed.
• Hold your lids firmly at the lashes — top lid with one hand and bottom with the other — so a blink can't win.
• Look straight ahead, not at the lens coming in, and breathe out slowly as you insert.
• Ask for extra training visits and about insertion tools that keep fingers farther from the eye.

Our insertion and removal guide walks through the basics you can practice at home.

Can I wear contacts while camping or hiking in the rain?

Yes, with a few precautions. The main water concern with contacts is microorganisms in tap water, lakes, pools, and hot tubs. Raindrops while hiking are a much lower risk than swimming.

• Daily disposables are ideal for trips: a fresh, sterile lens each day and no case to keep clean in a wet tent.
• A brimmed hat and wraparound sunglasses keep rain, wind, and debris out of your eyes.
• Keep your hands clean and dry for removal, and never rinse lenses or a case with stream or rain water.
• Bring preservative-free rewetting drops, a spare pair of lenses, and your glasses as a backup.
• Don't sleep in lenses unless they're approved for overnight wear.

If an eye becomes painful, very red, light-sensitive, or blurry and doesn't clear when you take the lens out, switch to glasses and get it checked as soon as you can.

Where can I get a plunger (DMV remover) for rigid or scleral lenses?

Plungers usually aren't sold in regular stores, but they're easy to get. The office that fit your lenses almost always has them and can show you how to use one — the best place to start. They're also sold online as "DMV remover" or "scleral lens remover."

Get the right type: a small solid plunger for rigid gas permeable (RGP) lenses, or a larger vented one for scleral lenses. For sclerals, place the plunger near the lower edge of the lens, not the center, then tilt it to break the suction.

Removing lenses shouldn't hurt. If removal is painful, or your eye is red, sore, light-sensitive, or blurry afterward, have your eye doctor look at it soon.

Quick tip when eyes get red and itchy on the road

Rewetting drops won't hurt, but they won't do much for itching or real redness. Take your contacts out and wear glasses until your eyes feel normal. Itching often points to allergies. A cold compress helps — try not to rub. Skip redness-relief drops; they only mask redness and aren't meant for contact lens wearers. Start with a fresh pair once your eyes are back to normal.

Get seen promptly for real pain, light sensitivity, blurry vision, discharge, a white spot on the eye, or if it isn't clearly better within about a day with the lenses out. Contact lens wearers can get corneal infections that need treatment quickly. More on red eye, pink eye, and allergies.

How we help at Reimbold Eye Group

At Reimbold Eye Group in Alpharetta, we fit everyday soft lenses, multifocals, and specialty designs when you need them. We take time on training visits so insertion and removal feel doable, and we stock the tools that make rigid and scleral care easier.

We also check that your tear film and lids are healthy before you commit to all-day wear — dry or itchy eyes are one of the main reasons contacts fail. When glasses are the better choice for a trip or a flare, our optical team can help you see clearly in both worlds.

Visit us at 4180 Old Milton Pkwy 1-D, Alpharetta, GA 30005. Call 770-776-9000. We're closed Mondays; open Tuesday–Thursday 10 am–6 pm, Friday 9 am–5 pm, and Saturday 9 am–2 pm.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to get used to putting contacts in?

Most people get much faster within one to two weeks of daily practice. Extra training visits help if the blink reflex is strong.

Are daily disposables better for travel?

Usually yes. Fresh sterile lenses each day, no case to keep clean, and less risk if conditions are dusty or wet.

Will multifocal contacts replace my readers completely?

Many people still keep a pair of readers for tiny print in dim light. That's normal and doesn't mean the fit failed.

Can I swim in contacts?

We don't recommend it. Water can trap germs under the lens. Use daily disposables if you must, throw them out after, and never rinse lenses in tap or lake water.

When should I stop wearing contacts and call?

Leave lenses out and call promptly for pain, light sensitivity, discharge, a white spot on the eye, or vision that stays blurry after removal.

Book a contact lens visit at Reimbold Eye Group

Ready to try multifocals, get past insertion nerves, or refresh your contact lens fit? Call Reimbold Eye Group in Alpharetta at 770-776-9000 or send us a message to book.