It’s Friday night, and you’re ready to hit the town. Everything is ready: your hair, your makeup, and you’ve picked out the perfect outfit. All that’s left to do is put on your colored contacts to complete the look, but just as you go to apply them, you notice one of them is ripped! Once you calm down enough to inspect it more closely, however, it turns out that all is not lost. The panic starts to sink in again as you worry they'll be mistaken for fake ones and ruin your entire look! Wearing your contact lenses the whole night without removing them is a common problem amongst contact lens wearers. Luckily, we have all the answers you need to ensure the night still goes smoothly!

Stop! When you wear a contact that's torn or damaged, it's not just uncomfortable - it can also be unsafe. Even if your contact feels fine in one eye, it's best to take both lenses out until they can be replaced.

If you have a prescription colored contact lens, it won’t be able to function properly if it gets ripped. This can lead to all sorts of accidents and prevent you from enjoying your day/night out as you normally would. This is because a ripped lens loses its specific curvature that has been matched to your eye, and they are much less likely to stay centered to your eye — which results in blurred vision.

The main reason that anyone should not wear a ripped contact lens is because they can be extremely dangerous. Once they rip, they end up with a jagged edge that is sharp and can scratch the surface of your eye. No one likes an uncomfortable feeling. You'll want to avoid putting your contacts in a solution that's too weak, or using a lens case that's too small. Not only will this be painful while wearing them, but it will lead to discomfort once removed too. Similarly, a ripped contact lens can also get trapped beneath your eyelid, making it irritating and uncomfortable.

The easiest way to check for a ripped lens is to place it on the tip of your finger with the edges facing up and inspect it closely for any chips, cracks, or tears. If it has any, you should throw it away. Sometimes, no matter how careful you are with your contacts, they end up in the trash. It happens! Especially if you’re applying them without your glasses (which is clearly a bad idea). So why not purchase more than one set at a time? That way you always have a spare, and can always look your best

If your lens rips before you apply, if it rips while you’re wearing it, then remove the torn lens and throw it away immediately. You can also use saline solution to flush the eye to remove any remaining bits. If you remove your lens and it rips in the process, resulting in a small piece getting stuck in your eye, there are other methods you can use. We’ve all experienced this problem at some point. The longer it stays in your eye, the more uncomfortable it can be. Try to find the torn piece and slide it to the outside corner of your eye using the tip of your finger. If this is possible, it can be easier to pull it out. However, if you cannot find it or move it, see a professional straight away. They will be able to use a microscope to help and remove it safely.

Don't rub, as this can irritate the delicate eyes.

Sometimes it can be hard not to rub your eyes, especially if they’re itchy, but it can actually be harmful to your lenses. While wearing your colored contacts, not only can rubbing your eyes cause them to tear, but it can also cause corneal abrasions. This can be dangerous, so if you feel like rubbing your eyes, maybe try using eye drops for some extra lubrication to help.