CRT Insertion Techniques

1. To insert the vision retainer, first wash your hands.
2. Remove the retainer from its case and clean it with the cleaning solution (or conditioning solution if it is a one-step system).
3. Rinse off with conditioning solution and place on the tip of the index finger of your dominant hand.
4. With the other had resting on your forehead (like a salute), use your thumb to pull the upper lid up at the lid margin with the index finger.
5. With the same hand that has the retainer on the index finger, pull the lower lid down with the middle finger.
6. Bring the retainer into contact with the eye as you are looking directly at the retainer.
7. When the retainer touches the eye, it will transfer from the index finger to the cornea.
8. If the retainer is transferred to the white portion of the eye, it must be moved onto the cornea of the eye.
9. First find out where the retainer is located.
10. Through the lid touch the edge of the retainer and move it until it is below the cornea.
11. Look up and move the retainer towards the cornea, then look down to the retainer and it will move onto the cornea.
12. If you try to push the retainer onto the cornea you run the risk of scratching the cornea with the edge of the retainer.
13. Move the eye to the retainer, not the retainer to the eye.

Removal Techniques:

The vision retainer is larger than a standard rigid gas permeable contact lens and is therefore initially more difficult for you to remove. There are four standard techniques to remove the retainers.

1. The best method is blinking the lens out. First look in a mirror and make sure the retainer is centered between the upper and lower lid. Place your index finger at the corner of the eye and apply moderate pressure towards your ear. At the same time blink in a normal manner, not a hard blink. The upper and lower eyelid will close allowing the lid margin to go under the edge of the retainer and thereby causing the retainer to flip out. Be sure you cup your other hand in front of the eye, as to retainer can go quite a distance if it “catches” just right.
2. In the next technique you apply sight pressure to the upper and lower lid right at the margin and move the lid toward the retainer. Make sure the lid margin is not everted, which can happen if you apply pressure too far from the lid margin. Place one index finger on the upper lid margin. Now use the index finger of the other hand on the lower lid margin to move the lid margin underneath the lens edge, causing the lens to lift out.
3. A similar method to the previous one is to place the index finger on the lower lid margin to hold the retainer in place with the lower lid margin slightly on the retainer. As you apply pressure, slowly look up and the top part of the retainer will pop out causing the retainer to fall out of the eye into your hand.
4. The final method is to use a specially designed mini-rubber plunger to remove the retainer. Wet the end of the plunger with conditioning solution and touch the retainer with the wet end. Gently pull the plunger away. The retainer should be attached by suction to the end of the plunger.

With any of these methods, make sure the retainer can move freely on the eye. If the retainer is adhering, removing it can cause temporary discomfort. It is advisable to place a drop of rewetting solution in the eye five minutes before insertion as well as before removal. If the rewetting drops do not provide movements to the retainer, simply use your index finger on the margin of the lid and nudge the edge of the retainer a few times and it will again move well enough to remove.