
Don’t Let Lens Discomfort Make You A Contact Lens Drop-out

What Does Contact Lens Discomfort Feel Like?
Lens discomfort is a common, but potentially avoidable, side effect of wearing contact lenses. People report a range of symptoms including:
- Stinging, burning, itching, or irritation
- An abnormal feeling of something in the eye (foreign body sensation)
- Excessive watering or tearing of the eyes
- Redness of the eyes
- Reduced sharpness of vision
- Blurred vision, rainbows, or halos around objects
- Sensitivity to light
- Dry eye
Why Do Contact Lenses Become Uncomfortable?
One out of every four contact lens wearers permanently discontinue wearing lenses. The most common reasons why people become contact lens “drop-outs” are dry eye, discomfort, red eyes, and expense. Possible causes of contact lens discomfort are:
- Poor fit
- Dry eyes (lack of tears or malfunctioning of the oil-secreting glands on your eyelids)
- Allergens, dust, or environmental pollution
- Wearing your lenses for too long
- An eye infection
"One-half of all contact lens wearers experience problems with dry eye syndrome."
What is Contact Lens Related Dry Eye?
People who wear contact lenses can develop both temporary dry eye symptoms and chronic dry eye syndrome. One-half of all contact lens wearers experience problems with dry eye syndrome.
Lenses disrupt the protective tear film on the surface of your eye and make it easier for your tears to evaporate more quickly. Tiny glands called meibomian glands line your eyelids and secrete oil to help maintain the tear film. These glands can stop working welI in some people, especially if you’re older than 50, take certain medications, or have certain medical conditions. If your meibomian glands aren’t working well, your contact lens discomfort might be even more pronounced.
- Regular use of a microwavable eye mask
- Artificial tears or lubricating eyedrops
- Wearing your lenses for shorter periods of time
- Replacing disposable lenses more frequently or switching to a one-day lens
- Seeing your eye doctor to check lens fit
How Does Moist Heat Therapy Help You Wear Your Lenses Longer?
Remember those tiny little glands and the slippery tear film mentioned above? Well, using a moist heat mask for dry eyes can help your glands work better, slow the rate at which your tears evaporate, and maintain your tear film. A recent study showed that regular heat therapy with a microwavable heat compress like Eyeleve, actually increased the length of time people could keep wearing their contacts. In fact, researchers found that people who use a heated eye mask for dry eyes are able to comfortably wear their lenses almost three hours longer than those who don’t.
EYE CARE TIP
Make your contact lenses more comfortable
- Using a moist heat mask for dry eyes
- Your glands mebomian work better
- Slow the rate at which your tears evaporate
- Increased the length of time you can keep wearing contacts
Make A Hydrating Dry Eye Compress Part of Your Eye Care Routine
