DEAR HARRIETTE: I lose my contacts easily due to my habit of rubbing my eyes. I want to get this habit out of my system, and I also want to be better at not panicking when I have only one contact in my eye. My eyesight is so bad that I can see only what is right in front of me, and I get headaches when I lose one of my contacts. What can I do to eliminate this habit and also make sure I can do my job properly if I lose a contact? -- Bad Eyes
DEAR BAD EYES: Check with your ophthalmologist to see if moistening eye drops will help you. You may be rubbing your eyes because they are dry. Instead of constantly rubbing, you may want to use drops. You need to train yourself to keep your hands away from your eyes.
Further, you should have a pair of backup contacts and a pair of backup glasses that you keep with you. If you lose a contact lens, you should have either handy so that you don’t have to go all day with compromised sight. Even if the prescription in your glasses is thick, put them on if you have no other options. You are likely far more self-conscious about your glasses than others will be. What’s essential is that you see well and avoid unnecessary headaches.
(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)