Nearly everyone is nervous about this
If the idea of touching your own eye makes you uneasy, you are in the majority. It is the most common reason people who would do well with contact lenses never try them.
The reflex to blink or pull back is not squeamishness — it is your eye protecting itself, and it is supposed to be there. It also fades quickly with practice. Most people who arrive certain they could never touch their eye are inserting and removing lenses on their own by the end of the visit.
We teach you in person
Learning to handle lenses is a normal part of a contact lens fitting here, not something you have to ask for or pay extra to get.
Once we have confirmed that lenses suit your eyes and found a lens that fits, we show you the technique — how to hold the lens, how to hold your lids so you cannot blink it away, and where to look. Then you practise with your own lenses while someone who does this every day is standing there to help.
You do not leave until you can put your lenses in and take them out yourself. That is the whole point of the visit. Sending you home with lenses you cannot manage would not be doing you any favours.
Struggling at first is normal
Some people get it within a few attempts. Others need considerably longer. Neither one predicts how well you will do as a contact lens wearer.
We work at your pace. There is no clock running and no test to pass. If it does not click on the day, we will bring you back and try again — that is a normal part of the process, not a failure.
And if it turns out that contact lenses genuinely do not suit your eyes or your routine, we will say so plainly rather than push you into something that will not work. There is no benefit to us in you owning lenses you never wear.
Why an exam comes first
Contact lenses are medical devices that sit directly on your cornea. Before you wear one, we need to check the health of your cornea and tear film, and measure how a lens actually sits on your eye.
Your glasses prescription is not enough on its own. A contact lens prescription is a separate document that includes fitting details a glasses prescription does not carry — brand, base curve, diameter, and material. See understanding your eye prescription for what those numbers mean.
Building up your wearing time
Most people build up gradually rather than jumping straight to full days. Your eyes need time to adapt to a lens sitting on the surface, and pushing too hard too early tends to make lenses feel worse, not better.
We will give you a wearing schedule based on your lens type and your actual routine, then adjust it depending on how your eyes respond. Once you are settled in, contact lens care and comfort covers the day-to-day — wear time, cleaning, and when to call us.
Related pages
Thinking about contact lenses?
If you have never worn lenses before, book a contact lens exam. We will confirm whether lenses suit your eyes and teach you how to handle them.
Prefer to talk first? Call or text us at 416-703-2797.
Spadina Optometry has cared for downtown Toronto patients since 2002 — an independent practice where the same team knows your eyes year after year.
Last reviewed: July 17, 2026