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    Wearing guide

    Blinking or flinching as the lens comes close

    Your eye is built to close when something comes at it. Here's how to work with that reflex instead of fighting it.

    By the Scleral Lens Team · Updated October 2, 2026 · 1 published source cited

    The short answer

    It's a normal reflex, and it fades with practice. Hold your lids right at the lash line so they can't close, keep both eyes open, look into the center of the lens as it comes up, and move in one smooth, steady motion. If you've tried several times, rest and come back to it.

    Before you start

    Time: A few minutes per attempt. Rest between tries.

    • Your filled lens on the inserter
    • A flat mirror and good light

    Step by step

    1. Grip at the lash line

      Hold the upper lid at the base of the lashes and the lower lid at its lash line. Lids held further back can still slip shut.

    2. Keep both eyes open

      It's usually easier to keep one eye steady when both are open.

    3. Pick a target

      Look into the center of the lens as it comes up, not at your face in the mirror. A clear target helps your eye stay still.

    4. Move slowly and steadily

      One smooth upward motion. A sudden jab is what sets off the reflex.

    5. Keep your lids held until it settles

      Hold your lids until the lens has settled on the white of your eye and you've pulled the inserter back.

    6. Rest if your eye gets tired

      After several tries, a watery, tired eye blinks more. Stop for a few minutes and come back.

    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 it happens

    Blinking when something comes toward your eye is a protective reflex, and a scleral lens filled with saline is a big, wet object coming straight at it. Almost every new wearer runs into this. It isn’t a sign you can’t wear scleral lenses.

    It gets easier

    The reflex softens as the movement becomes familiar. In a year-long study of scleral lens wearers, the number of attempts it took to put lenses in dropped significantly over time among those who kept wearing them.[1] Practice every day, at a calm time, and judge your progress after two or three weeks.

    If it’s still a struggle

    Tell your fitter. They can watch your technique, suggest a different grip, or try another tool, such as an insertion stand that frees up both hands for your lids.

    Common mistakes

    • Holding the lids too far from the lash line.
    • Closing your other eye.
    • Rushing up quickly to beat the blink.
    • Letting go of your lids too soon.
    • Pushing on for a dozen tries when your eye is tired.

    Common questions

    Will the blink reflex ever go away?

    It usually gets much easier with daily practice. In a year-long study, people who kept wearing scleral lenses needed significantly fewer attempts to put them in over time.

    Would an insertion stand help?

    It can. A stand holds the lens steady so both hands are free to hold your lids, which helps if your lids slip. Ask your fitter.

    Should I numb my eye first?

    No. Don't put anything in your eye that your fitter hasn't prescribed.

    Keep going

    Guide

    Your first two weeks with scleral lenses

    Expect it to be slow and awkward at first. That's normal. Practice every day at a calm time, follow your fitter's wearing schedule exactly, do the three checks after every insertion, and keep notes for your follow-up. Decide after two to three weeks, not after two to three days.

    Guide

    How to insert a scleral lens

    Fill the lens to the brim with preservative-free saline, look straight down with your face parallel to the floor, hold both lids wide at the lashes, and bring the lens straight up to your eye in one smooth motion. Then check for bubbles every time.

     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. 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

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