Losing a contact lens in your eye is alarming but common. This guide explains what happens when a contact lens gets lost in your eye, provides step-by-step removal instructions, and clarifies whether a contact lens can actually go behind your eye.
Can a Contact Lens Really Go Behind Your Eye?
No, a contact lens cannot go behind your eye, this is anatomically impossible. The conjunctiva, a protective membrane lining your eyelids and covering the eyeball, forms a continuous barrier that prevents any object from entering the eye socket.
When a lens seems “lost,” it has usually shifted under the eyelid, remaining in front of the eye’s surface. The furthest it can move is into the fornix, a recess where the eyelid meets the eyeball, which is still in front of the eye. While a lens may be hidden and uncomfortable, it cannot disappear behind the eye.
Where Contact Lenses Go When They 'Disappear'
When a contact lens feels lost in your eye, it has typically moved to one of several common locations.
Under the Upper Eyelid
This is the most common hiding place for a contact lens lost in eye. The upper eyelid has more space than the lower lid, and lenses frequently migrate upward during blinking or rubbing. When a lens lodges under your upper lid, you feel a persistent foreign body sensation, but you won't see the lens looking straight ahead. The lens sits in the superior fornix the space between your upper eyelid and eyeball.
When you look down and gently lift your upper lid away from your eye, you may see the edge of the lost contact lens. The sensation often feels like scratching when you blink.
>> See more: Why Does My Contact Keep Moving and How to Fix?
Behind the Lower Eyelid
Less common, a contact lens can slip beneath your lower eyelid. This happens if you rub your lower lid or if the lens folds and migrates downward. The inferior fornix is shallower, so lenses hide here less frequently. You'll feel discomfort in the lower portion of your eye, and pulling your lower lid down may reveal the lens edge.
Folded Against the Sclera or Cornea
Sometimes a contact lens doesn't move into the eyelid space but folds in half on your eye's surface. A folded lens might stick to your sclera (white part) or cornea (clear front). When folded, the lens becomes smaller and harder to see. You'll feel significant discomfort because the folded edge creates pressure.
A contact lens behind eye concerns often arise when a lens folds and migrates to the side of your eyeball. Looking straight ahead won't reveal it, but rotating your eye to extremes may expose the lens on your peripheral sclera.
Key Eye Spaces Where Lenses Hide:
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Superior fornix: Deep pocket above your eyeball
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Inferior fornix: Space below your eyeball
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Lateral fornices: Spaces on either side
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Corneal surface: Central area where lenses normally sit
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Scleral surface: White areas surrounding the cornea
Step-by-Step: How to Find and Remove a Stuck Lens
When dealing with a lost contact lens in eye, following a systematic approach increases successful removal whilst minimizing irritation.
Step 1: Wash Your Hands Thoroughly
Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Dry with a clean, lint-free towel. This prevents bacteria introduction. Never attempt removal with dirty hands.
Step 2: Add Rewetting Drops or Saline Solution
Apply several drops of contact lens rewetting drops or sterile saline to your eye. This lubricates your eye, helps a stuck lens move freely, and can rehydrate a folded lens. Tilt your head back, pull your lower eyelid down, and apply 3-4 drops. Blink several times.
Never use tap water, it can introduce harmful microorganisms and make lenses stick more firmly.
Step 3: Blink Repeatedly
Close your eyes gently and blink repeatedly for 30-60 seconds. Natural blinking can help reposition a contact lens lost in eye by encouraging it to move back to center. If the lens has simply moved slightly off-center, this often resolves the issue.
Step 4: Gently Massage Your Eyelid
If blinking doesn't work, close your eye and gently massage your eyelid with clean fingers. Use circular motions with very light pressure. For a lens suspected under your upper lid, massage the upper eyelid whilst looking down. For lower lid locations, massage the lower lid whilst looking up.
Step 5: Look in Different Directions
Using a well-lit mirror, systematically look in different directions:
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Look down and lift your upper eyelid to check the superior space
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Look up and pull your lower lid down to check the inferior space
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Look toward your nose whilst examining the outer side
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Look toward your ear whilst checking the inner side
Many people find their contact lens behind eye or eyelid when they look in the right direction.
Step 6: Use the Eyelid Eversion Technique
For stubborn cases where you suspect the lens is high under your upper lid:
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Look down (keep looking down throughout)
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Grasp your upper eyelashes gently
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Pull the lid away from your eye
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Fold the lid back over a cotton swab or clean finger
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This exposes the inner upper eyelid where lenses hide
This technique feels unusual but isn't painful when done correctly.
Step 7: Remove the Lens
Once located, remove using your normal technique. If the lens is on your sclera or stuck under an eyelid, gently slide it back to your cornea first, then remove normally. For a folded lens, additional rewetting drops help restore its shape.
>>> See more: How Yo Tell If Contact Lens Is Inside Out
What Not to Do
Don't Aggressively Rub Your Eye
Vigorous rubbing can scratch your cornea, especially if the lens is folded. Hard rubbing can also push a lens further into eyelid spaces. Resist the urge to rub and follow systematic steps instead.
Don't Use Tap Water
Tap water contains microorganisms like Acanthamoeba causing serious infections. Only use sterile saline or contact lens rewetting drops. Tap water also makes lenses stick more firmly to your cornea.
Don't Push Directly on Your Eyeball
Apply pressure only to your eyelid, not the eye beneath. Never press directly on your cornea whilst searching for a lens.
Don't Panic and Leave It
Never leave a lost contact lens in your eye hoping it will "come out naturally." This can deprive your cornea of oxygen, cause abrasions, or lead to infection. If you cannot remove it after 15-20 minutes, seek professional help immediately.
Don't Insert a New Lens Without Finding the Lost One
Never put a replacement contact lens in if you haven't confirmed the previous lens is out. Wearing two lenses simultaneously reduces oxygen flow and complicates the situation.
When It's Not in Your Eye Anymore
Sometimes what feels like a lost contact lens in eye is actually a lens that has already fallen out.
How to Tell If It Fell Out
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Clear vision changes: If your vision becomes blurry (nearsighted) or you lose close-up clarity (farsighted), but you have no sensation of something in your eye, the lens has likely fallen out.
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No foreign body sensation: A lost contact lens in your eye almost always causes some discomfort. If you feel completely comfortable with no sensation of anything foreign, the lens has probably dislodged.
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Asymmetrical vision: Compare your vision between both eyes. If one eye has clear vision and the other is markedly different, the lens is no longer present in the affected eye.
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Check surroundings: Before concluding the lens is stuck, check your face, clothing, and the immediate area. Contact lenses often fall onto surfaces during removal attempts.
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The blink test: Blink several times naturally. If you feel absolutely nothing, the lens has likely fallen out. A lens anywhere in your eye creates at least subtle awareness.
>>> See more: How to Fix Blurry Contact Lenses?
Why Discomfort Is a Good Indicator of Presence
Discomfort remains the most reliable indicator that a contact lens is still in your eye. Any foreign object creates detectable sensation. When a contact lens lost in eye is causing irritation, this confirms the lens is present. Irritation might feel like:
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Scratching with each blink
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Persistent grittiness
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Sensation of something under your eyelid
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Pressure in one area
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Watering or redness
If you suddenly feel complete relief after discomfort, and your vision changes accordingly, the lens has almost certainly fallen out.
Red Flags: When to Seek Professional Help
Most cases of a lost contact lens in eye can be resolved at home, but certain situations require immediate professional attention.
Severe Pain
Mild discomfort is normal, but severe, sharp, or worsening pain indicates potential corneal damage. If pain feels like something cutting your eye or intensifies, stop removal attempts and seek professional help immediately.
Vision Changes
Persistently blurry, cloudy, or distorted vision after removing your lost contact lens suggests possible corneal injury. Halos around lights, double vision, or blind spots require urgent attention.
>>> See more: How Often Should You Replace Your Contact Lenses?
Signs of Abrasion or Infection
Persistent redness: Redness that intensifies or doesn't improve after an hour
Discharge: Yellow, green, or thick discharge indicates infection
Light sensitivity: Severe pain or squinting in normal light
Continued foreign body sensation: Still feeling scratching hours after confirming the lens is out
Swollen eyelids: Significant swelling with redness and warmth
Lens Lodged Deep After Multiple Attempts
If you've been trying for 20-30 minutes without success, seek professional assistance. Optometrists have specialized instruments to examine under eyelids thoroughly and can safely remove deeply lodged lenses. Continuing aggressive attempts increases corneal damage risk.
Where to Seek Help in the UK
Your regular optician: Most accommodate same-day emergency appointments
High street opticians: Specsavers, Boots Opticians, Vision Express offer walk-in emergency care
NHS 111: Call for advice on whether you need immediate care
Hospital eye casualty: For severe pain, vision loss, or after-hours emergencies
A&E: For serious trauma or if you cannot reach other services
Frequently Asked Questions
Can lenses really go “behind” your eye?
No. A contact lens cannot go behind the eye because the conjunctiva forms a barrier. A lens may move under the eyelid or to the side of the eye, but it cannot enter the eye socket.
Why do lenses move under the eyelid?
Blinking, eye rubbing, and rapid or vigorous eye movement can cause lenses to shift under the eyelid, especially upward. Dry or poorly fitted lenses increase this risk.
Will it damage my cornea?
It can if the lens remains in the eye for a long time or if you rub your eye aggressively. Possible risks include corneal abrasion, reduced oxygen supply, and infection. Gentle handling usually prevents damage.
How long can it remain before treatment is needed?
You should try to remove it immediately. If you cannot find or remove the lens within 20–30 minutes, seek professional help. Never leave a lost lens in your eye overnight.
Can you wear a contact lens that was lost in your eye?
No. Any lens retrieved from the eye should be discarded and replaced with a new, sterile lens.
Should I put in drops before trying to find it?
Yes. Rewetting drops or sterile saline help lubricate the eye, loosen the lens, and make removal easier.
Is it an emergency if a lens goes under my eyelid?
It is usually uncomfortable but not an immediate emergency. Most lenses can be removed with proper technique. Seek professional care if you cannot remove it, feel severe pain, or notice vision changes.
A lost contact lens in eye is common and manageable. Remember that a contact lens cannot go behind your eye due to anatomical barriers. Follow systematic removal steps, use rewetting drops, avoid aggressive rubbing, and seek professional help if you cannot remove the lens within 20-30 minutes or experience warning signs.
