Can a contact lens get stuck around the back of your eye?

New contact lens wearers often worry that a contact lens might move behind the eye and get stuck there. Thankfully, the anatomy of the eye prevents this. The eye is protected by a soft pink tissue lining known as the conjunctiva, which creates a pocket between the eyelid and the eyeball and keeps contact lenses on the front surface of the eye.

Occasionally, a lens might slide into this pocket, for example, because of a bad fall, but it often finds its way out again with the help of tears or eye drops. A trained optician can also help.

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Asked by: Sarah Morris, Swansea

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