How to deal with contact lens discomfort

Over the years contact lens materials have evolved and so have the lens care solutions in the market. However despite this, contact lens wearers can still experience symptoms of dryness, irritation and discomfort. With an increasing number of people opting for coloured contact lenses in exciting shades like Solotica Aquarella, the number of new contact lens wearers has also increased.

Getting used to wearing lenses takes some time, practice and care.  Studies show that almost 50% of lens wearers experience dryness and discomfort.

Here are some tips to deal with contact lens discomfort.

If you are experiencing dryness or discomfort while wearing your lens, the first thing you have to do is remove your lens, rinse it and place it back in its case with fresh solution. Check your eyes for dirt or eyelashes, these are common causes for contact lens discomfort. Check your lens as well for debris or eyelashes as well. Check if your lens is damaged. If it is, do not put the lens back on your eye. If the lens appears undamaged and is cleaned, try re-inserting it. If the discomfort persists, then remove it immediately and consult an eye care professional.

One of the common mistakes a lot of lens wearers make is touching their eyes without washing their hands or trying to put in your lens after you’ve put on cream or lotion. This immediately makes your eyes burn and water, making it very uncomfortable to put your lens in. Remember to wash your hands thoroughly and dry them before handling your eye and your lens.

Check the fit of your contact lens, when a lens fits properly it should fit the entire cornea and should move very little when you blink. If there is a lot of movement in the lens, that when the wearer begins experiencing  dryness, irritation etc. Also if it does not fit your cornea correctly you might be wearing the wrong size. In that case it is best to get another prescription from your doctor.

If your job includes long hours in front of a computer screen, chances are you will experience a case of dry eyes, wherein your lens feels dry and rigid against your eye. One of the easy solutions for this is to buy re-hydrating eye drops. Artificial tears are a great way to relieve dryness. Consult an eye specialist to check which brand goes with the lens you are wearing. Soft lenses that retain moisture for longer durations like Anesthesia Once are also a great way to keep dry eyes at bay.

Typically contact lenses should be worn for about 12 hours or less. When you wear the lens for longer, it begins to lose its moisture and ultimately becomes uncomfortable. Reducing the time you spend wearing your contact lenses helps reduce discomfort. Switching between your glasses and lenses periodically helps rest the eyes.

Sorry ladies but too much make up around the eye could also ruin your contact lens wearing experience. Too much make up around the eyes can be uncomfortable and can result in a build-up of product around the eyes that could eventually make its way over to your lenses.

If you are an allergy prone person, especially eye allergies then chances are contact lens discomfort is not new to you.  A lot of wearers change their lens habits or just forgo their lenses altogether during allergy season.  But here’s a tip, you could switch to daily disposable lenses during allergy season.

If these tips do not take care of your discomfort then it could be an infection or another medical condition. In that case it is always best to visit your ophthalmologist to get your eyes properly checked out.

This is a guest blog entry.