The Dreaded Contact

Getting the stupid thing in!

We were told that after M had her cataract removal surgery she was going to have to wear a contact in that eye.  I think I might have laughed out loud (amongst the tears) when the doctor told us that!  But we knew we were going to have to do it, and figure out how to get it in everyday.

We met with an optometrist, one week after M's surgery, who explained some things about the type of contact we were getting for her.  The first one we got was a disposable one.  He wanted us to start trying to get the contact in her eye as soon as possible, so that we could all get used to it.  Get used to getting the contact in?!  He showed us how we would have to hold it, and the motion you would do to get it in the eye.  Told us we would probably have to hold her down to get it in, and open her eye up to be able to put the contact in.

So we tried for 3 or 4 days again and again with no success.  My husband was kneeling on her immobilizing her body and arms, and kind of puts her head between his knees.  From that position it was his job to open up the eye lids while I would attempt to get the thing in.  We kind of decided that I would be the one to handle the contact because I wear contacts myself, and have more experience handling them and getting them in eyes.  Not that this helps when getting in a 9.5 month old's eye!

It was terrible trying to get the contact in.  M screamed as loud as she could.  We tried for days with no success at getting the thing in which was also terrible.  It seemed like we were just making her cry all the time.  The first time I managed to get the contact in her eye was when I went back to the doctor that did her surgery.  He 'restrained' her in his lap and opened her eye for me and it worked!  It was one of the happiest moments to know that I could actually do it!  After that I went home with more confidence.  

The next day my husband and I tried again to get it in in the morning.  It took us 7 minutes to get it in her eye.  She screamed for 7 minutes while we were trying to do it.  My husband and I were fighting, and I was crying.  It was a mess.  But the contact got on the eye.

The 3rd day we got it in in the morning again and it only took 5 minutes.  She screamed for 5 minutes while we did it.  My husband and I fought less, and I cried later instead of while I was trying to get it in her eye.

The 4th days we got it in again in the morning and it took 2.5 minutes.  She still cried for 2.5 minutes.

The 5th day we got it in again in the morning and it took about 15 seconds.  She cried for 15 seconds.

These days we can get the contact in every morning just after she wakes up in about 2-15 seconds.  She still almost always cries while we are doing it.  I almost never cry when trying to get it in, or about having to do it anymore.  My husband still kneels on her and opens her eye while I'm in charge of handling the contact and getting it in her eye.  

It was terrible at first, and hard on everyone in our family.  But now, it's still terrible, but just doesn't have the same emotions attached to it, or frustrations of not being able to get it in.  We now know we can do it, we know we have to, and M has begun to realize it's a part of her life.