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    Wearing guide

    Arthritis and limited dexterity

    Stiff fingers, a weak grip, or limited hand control make a fiddly job harder. The right setup and tools take a lot of the strain off, and a trained helper can cover the hard days.

    By the Scleral Lens Team · Updated October 2, 2026 · 3 published sources cited

    The short answer

    Set up so your hands do as little fine work as possible: sit at a table, brace your elbows, and use an insertion stand that holds the lens so your hands only need to hold your lids. Ask your fitter which tools suit your grip, and practice at the time of day your hands work best. If handling is still a struggle, your fitter can train a family member or caregiver to help. Raise it early: handling is one of the main reasons people give up on scleral lenses.

    Before you start

    Time: A session with your fitter to find the right setup; then your usual routine.

    • A table you can sit at comfortably
    • A mirror that sits flat or tilts up toward you
    • An insertion stand, if your fitter recommends one
    • Your saline, cleaner, and tools laid out within easy reach

    Step by step

    1. Tell your fitter about your hands

      Mention arthritis, tremor, weakness, numbness, or any condition that affects your hands, ideally before or at your first fitting.

    2. Set up a seated station

      Sit at a table with everything laid out in the same order every day. Brace both elbows on the table.

    3. Use a stand for insertion

      A stand holds the filled lens upright, so you lower your eye to it. Your hands only have to hold your lids.

    4. Pick tools that fit your grip

      Try different inserters and removers at your fitter's office. Some are easier to hold or press than others.

    5. Prepare supplies when your hands are good

      If opening vials or bottles is hard, ask your fitter about packaging that's easier for you, or have a helper set out supplies ahead of time.

    6. Practice at your best time of day

      If stiffness is worse in the morning, ask your fitter whether a later insertion time works with your schedule.

    7. Train a helper

      Ask your fitter to teach a family member or caregiver to insert and remove your lenses at a visit, so there's a backup on hard days.

    These are general steps. If your fitter taught you differently, follow your fitter: your lens and eyes are theirs to know. Print the mirror cards to keep by your sink.

    Why handling deserves a plan

    For most people, the hardest part of scleral lenses isn’t wearing them, it’s getting them in and out. In studies, handling is the most common reason people stop. In a year-long study of 95 wearers, handling problems were the reason for 35% of the people who stopped.[2] In a study of 120 veterans fitted with scleral lenses, difficulty with insertion and removal was the most common reason for stopping, given by 53.7% of those who discontinued.[1]

    That same veterans study looked at which patient factors were linked to stopping. Having a neurologic condition was associated with a higher chance of discontinuing, with an odds ratio of 4.6. The authors didn’t report arthritis as a separate factor, and the study can’t show that the condition itself caused people to stop. Age was not significantly different between those who continued and those who stopped.[1] The takeaway isn’t that people with hand or nerve conditions can’t wear scleral lenses. It’s that handling support should be planned in from the start, not added after weeks of frustration.

    Set up to save your hands

    • Sit, don’t stand. A chair at a table gives you a stable base and lets you rest between tries.
    • Brace your elbows. The more of your arm that’s supported, the less your hands and wrists have to hold.
    • Lay everything out in order: lens case, saline, inserter or stand, remover, artificial tears, towel. Same place, same order, every day.
    • Use a tabletop mirror that sits flat or tilts up, so you can look down at it.

    Tools that can help

    Insertion stand. A stand holds the filled lens upright on the table, so you lower your eye down to it instead of bringing the lens up. Your hands only need to hold your lids. Some stands have a built-in light to help you aim.

    Inserters. They come in different shapes and sizes. Some people find a particular handle easier to grip or a ring-style inserter that sits on a finger easier to control. Try what your fitter has before you buy.

    Removal plungers. Some are easier to squeeze than others. Use a drop of artificial tears before removal, place the plunger on the lower third of the lens, and pull outward. Pulling from the lower third lets the seal go far more easily than pulling from the center. See how to remove.

    Supplies. Twist-off saline vials and small bottle caps can be hard to open. Ask your fitter which saline packaging and cleaning products are easiest for you, and whether a helper can open and lay out supplies ahead of time. Whatever you use, keep it sterile: never decant solution into other containers.[3]

    If your hands shake as well, see shaky hands for steadying tips.

    Plan around your good hours

    If your hands work better at some times of day than others, plan around that. If they’re stiffest in the morning, ask your fitter whether inserting a little later fits within your wearing schedule. Don’t stretch your wearing time to compensate; stick to the hours your fitter sets.

    A trained helper

    Your fitter can train a spouse, family member, or caregiver to insert and remove your lenses. Even if you do it yourself most days, a trained backup means a flare-up doesn’t leave a lens stuck in or your vision stuck in glasses. See helping someone else with their lenses for what the helper needs to know.

    Hygiene still matters

    Stiff fingers can make thorough handwashing harder. Take your time: the FDA advises washing your hands before handling lenses to reduce the chance of infection, and rubbing and rinsing your lenses as directed.[3] If rubbing the lens is hard, ask your fitter for a care routine that works with your hands.

    Common mistakes

    • Struggling alone for weeks before telling your fitter.
    • Standing at the sink with your arms unsupported.
    • Rushing through insertion on a bad-hand day.
    • Letting a helper learn by trial and error instead of training with your fitter.

    Common questions

    Am I too old for scleral lenses?

    Age alone doesn't seem to decide it. In a study of 120 veterans, the average age of those who kept wearing their lenses and those who stopped was not significantly different. What matters more is finding a way to handle the lenses that works for you.

    Does having a neurologic condition mean scleral lenses won't work?

    Not necessarily. In one study of veterans, people with neurologic conditions were more likely to stop wearing scleral lenses. That's an association in one group, not a rule. It's a reason to plan for handling support from the start, not a reason to rule lenses out.

    Can someone else take my lenses out if I can't?

    Yes, if they've been trained. Ask your fitter to teach them at a visit, and keep a removal plunger and artificial tears where they can find them.

    What if insertion takes me a very long time?

    Tell your fitter. A different tool, a stand, a lens design change, or a trained helper can all cut the time down.

    Keep going

    Guide

    Helping someone else with their lenses

    Get trained by the wearer's fitter, ideally at a visit together. Wash and dry your hands, and set up so the wearer can sit with their face parallel to the floor while you hold their lids at the lash line and bring the filled lens straight up. For removal, use a drop of artificial tears and the small plunger on the lower third of the lens. Learn the warning signs, and if the wearer has pain, worsening redness, light sensitivity, discharge, or blurry vision that doesn't clear, remove the lens and call their eye doctor today.

    Guide

    It takes me forever every morning

    Slow at first is normal, and most people get much faster with daily practice. Set everything out the night before, use the same spot and order every day, and practice when you're not in a hurry. If it's still taking a long time after a few weeks, tell your fitter: a different tool or a lens change can help.

    Guide

    Shaky hands

    Sit down at a table and brace both elbows on it, so your hands have something solid under them. Take a slow breath before you bring the lens up. If a tremor or arthritis makes it hard, ask your fitter about an insertion stand, which holds the lens still for you, or about training a family member or caregiver to help.

     Common worry

    Are scleral lenses hard to put in?

    At first, usually yes. It's a learned skill, and the first tries can take a long time. But in a year-long study, most wearers got noticeably faster and needed fewer attempts as the months went on. Give yourself two to three weeks before deciding you can't do it.

    Sources

    1. Kanakamedala A, Salazar H, Campagna G, et al. Outcomes of scleral contact lens use in veteran population. Eye Contact Lens. 2020;46(6):348-352. doi:10.1097/ICL.0000000000000671 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
    2. Macedo-de-Araújo RJ, van der Worp E, González-Méijome JM. A one-year prospective study on scleral lens wear success. Cont Lens Anterior Eye. 2020;43(6):553-561. doi:10.1016/j.clae.2019.10.140 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
    3. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Contact Lens Solutions and Products. fda.gov

    Last updated October 2, 2026. Found an error or a newer study? Let us know and we'll correct the page.