# How far can my contact lens wander around my eye?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-can-my-contact-lens-wander-around-my-eye/456609>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 15, 2008, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-can-my-contact-lens-wander-around-my-eye/456609 "2008-07-15T22:30:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2008, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-can-my-contact-lens-wander-around-my-eye/456609/1 "2008-07-15T22:30:32Z")

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I know I’m not supposed to, but I just rubbed my eyes, and one of my contact lenses migrated off of its proper perch in my eye. I did some exploratory eye-rolling in front of the mirror, and the lens eventually extruded itself from where it had been wadded up near my tear duct.

So, how far around my eye could it possibly go? If it gets under one of the lids, can it migrate all the way to the top or the bottom of my eyeball? If so, how would I ever get it back out? Or are there eye muscles that would block its path all the way around?

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**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2008, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-can-my-contact-lens-wander-around-my-eye/456609/2 "2008-07-15T22:49:55Z")

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[http://www.uic.edu/com/eye/LearningAboutVision/EyeFacts/FYIAboutEyes.shtml](http://www.uic.edu/com/eye/LearningAboutVision/EyeFacts/FYIAboutEyes.shtml)

> [@](#):
>
> Can my contact lens get lost behind my eyeball?  
> A contact lens that slips off the corneal surface of the eye and moves under the eyelid cannot go far. The conjunctiva, a clear lining that covers the inner surface of the eyelids, forms a small sac or pouch between the eyelid and the eye to contain the eye’s tears. The “lost” contact lens can go only as far as the edge of this sac, not behind the eyeball. Usually you can gently manipulate the contact lens back into place. If the lens is difficult to retrieve, you may need to flush your eye with sterile saline. Your eye doctor can advise you on safe methods of retrieving a “lost” contact lens.

Ehow advice.  
[http://www.ehow.com/tips\_116194.html](http://www.ehow.com/tips_116194.html)