Putting on and Removing Contact Lenses in Basic Conditions

During my 3 trips to Nepal, I've mastered the art of putting on and removing contact lenses in basic conditions, i.e. without water and no wall mirror.

Most of the guesthouses along the treks don't have ensuite bathrooms in the bedrooms. The bathrooms are usually located outside the rooms and extremely basic, i.e. no wash basin, no mirror, no shower (some of the guesthouses boiled water for us to bathe for a fee), run down, etc.

Therefore putting on and removing contact lenses in these conditions could be pretty challenging especially when cleanliness must be observed at all times when it comes to contact lenses and our eyes.

Here are the 4 items you'll need to put on and remove contact lenses in basic conditions:

1) Antibacterial hand sanitiser
2) Compact mirror
3) Contact lenses (goes without saying)
4) Disinfectant (goes without saying)
5) Headlamp or torchlight (optional)

Method:

a) Prop your compact mirror up firmly against anything that's convenient for you, e.g. window, bagpack, etc.
b) Open ready your contact lens case and caps on the disinfectant and antibacterial hand sanitiser.
c) Squirt a little antibacterial hand sanitiser on the palm of your hands and rub it all over your hands especially your fingers.
d) Pick up one lens from the contact lens case and rinse it with disinfectant.
e) Using the compact mirror to guide you, place the lens into your eye. Repeat for the other lens.
f) Guesthouses in the mountains of Nepal operate on generators which kick in during specific times only. So if you need to put on or remove your lenses in the dark, use a headlamp or torchlight (clinch with your teeth or get someone to hold for you).

I promise if you follow this method properly you won't develop any eye infection.

Good luck!