Victory! after much frustration and many, many tries and abandoning the thing in disgust for several weeks, I have defeated the Optiwand Pincher in battle. This is what finally worked:

1. The key for me was to get used to removing the lens using a finger. This took me an embarrassingly long time to learn. However you don't have to master it - just understand the mechanics, where and how much pressure to use, etc..

2. Pick one end of the wand and press the cup to your eye, centered on the contact lens. The split cup works best for me. Orient it in whatever direction you are most comfortable pinching. I like vertical. I's not a suction cup, so hold it there. Grasp it firmly between your thumb and index finger, very close to the two halves of the cup, because you're about to do the pinching part.

3. Keeping the cup pressed to the contact, gently slide it off your iris, looking up/down/left/right if needed. Sliding downward worked best for me. When the lens is on the white part of your eye get ready to pinch by firmly grasping the the two halves of the cup between thumb and index finger. Hold as close to the cup as possible for better pinching control.

4. The pinching action works best if done without pauses. Press on the contact and pluck it off your eye by quickly pinching the two halves of the cup all the way together. You will feel pressure but it shouldn't hurt. It may help if you slightly turn the contact, like a knob, as you pluck it up.

If it doesn't work you might try variations, trying basically to replicate the way you'd remove it with your finger. From instructions I thought it was one quick press-twist-pinch-pluck and that never worked for me. Hope this helps someone.

I'm sure these work great for someone, I just never got the hang of them. Wish I could figure out the trick. But the product came fast and was in great condition

I'm new to soft contact lenses and have been having a hard time inserting them. Specifically, the lenses stick to my fingers despite all efforts to keep the skin dry. Out of frustration/desperation I decided to give this little device a try despite the mixed reviews. I was really happy that I was able to successfully insert the lenses on the first try with this gadget "” it totally solved the problem that I was having with finger insertion.

Now as far as removal goes, I can't figure out how this thing helps that process. However, I don't have too much trouble getting the lenses out. But that plus the fact that this little thing seems overpriced at 12 bucks is why I removed a star from the rating.

What a difference this makes. Such a simple concept but it works extraordinary. I had such an issue getting my contacts out with my fingers, one time it took 4-days to finally get one out. With this tool they usually pop right out in one or two trys. The silicon is soft and just the right size to place over contact and does not iratate the surface of my eyes like my fingers and nails do. I don't think I would even be able to wear my contacts without this tool.

Other people's reviews helped me purchase this little item so I wanted to leave one.
After an epic failure removing my trial soft contacts (actually losing one) I was afraid to even put them in again without a backup plan. Which is how I came to buy this.
As suggested, I now use eye drops when putting them on or off. (I have no problem using my fingers to put them in). Pinching using the large side of this item (just as I would my fingers) has actually surprised me by working Every Time to get them off .

I have waited weeks to write a review to make sure it wasn't luck"¦.or that I wouldn't jinx myself.