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    Wearing guide

    When the lens lands off-center

    Sometimes a lens settles crooked, or ends up sitting partly on the white of your eye. The fix is simple: take it out and start again.

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

    The short answer

    Don't try to push it into place. Take the lens out with your removal plunger, refill it to the brim, and insert again, looking straight into the center of the lens as it comes up. If your lenses often sit off-center during the day, tell your fitter.

    Before you start

    Time: A few minutes to remove and reinsert.

    • Your removal plunger and inserter
    • Fresh preservative-free saline
    • A flat mirror

    Step by step

    1. Don't push it around

      Sliding a lens into place with a finger risks letting air in and irritating your eye. Removing and reinserting is the cleaner fix.

    2. Remove it

      Plunger on the lower third of the lens, press until it grips, pull outward.

    3. Rinse and refill

      Rinse the lens with preservative-free saline and fill it to the brim from a fresh vial.

    4. Line it up

      Face parallel to the floor, lids held wide, and look straight into the center of the lens as it comes up, so it arrives centered on your eye.

    5. Do the three checks

      Light, vision, comfort. If anything's off, repeat.

    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

    A lens usually lands off-center because it reached the eye at a slight angle: the head tilted, the inserter came up off-axis, or the eye moved at the last moment. Looking straight into the center of the lens as it comes up is the best fix.

    When it’s the fit, not the insertion

    If your lenses consistently drift off-center during the day, the cause may be the lens design rather than how you put it in. Glare, halos around lights, or a faint double image can be signs. Your fitter can change the design so the lens centers better.

    If your eye is uncomfortable

    A lens that doesn’t sit right shouldn’t be worn through. If you have symptoms of eye irritation, the FDA’s advice is to remove the lens and contact your eye care professional.[1]

    Common mistakes

    • Nudging the lens across the eye with a finger.
    • Reinserting without refilling to the brim.
    • Looking at your reflection's face instead of into the lens.

    Common questions

    My lens seems to drift off-center during the day. Is that a problem?

    Mention it to your fitter, especially if you notice glare, halos, or ghosting, which can come from a lens sitting off-center. A change in the lens design can help it center better.

    Is it okay to wear it if it's only a little off?

    If your vision isn't clear or the lens isn't comfortable, take it out and reinsert. Don't wear a lens that doesn't feel right.

    Keep going

    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.

    Guide

    How to remove a scleral lens

    Put a drop or two of artificial tears in your eye first. Then press the small removal plunger onto the lower third of the lens, never the center, until it grips, and pull outward. Do it over a towel, and clean the lens right away.

     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. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Contact Lens Risks. Content current as of September 4, 2018. fda.gov

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