Reducing Contact Lens Discomfort

With today’s advances in contact lens technology, corrected vision is more comfortable than ever before.  Space-age materials create a water-permeable, gas-permeable soft contact lens that rests smoothly and gently against your eye. 

Unfortunately, far too many people experience discomfort with their contact lenses and simply accept that that is the price of having a piece of plastic in your eye.  The truth is that most causes for irritation can be easily resolved.  Moreover, ignoring contact irritation is a terrible idea, since small irritations can grow into dangerous infections if left untreated.

The most important step to healthy, comfortable contact lens use is to follow your eye doctor’s wear and cleaning directions to the letter.  Do not leave your contacts in longer than recommended, make sure you care for your contacts well when you are not wearing them, and clean them as directed and with the recommended cleaning solutions.

If your lenses seem scratchy or blurry, it could be that they have gotten dirty.  Take them out and clean them thoroughly to see if that solves the problem.

Roughness or scratchiness can also indicate that your lens is inside-out.  Remove the lenses and check that you have inserted them properly.

Another reason for scratchiness or red eyes can be that your eyes are too dry.  Dryness can be caused by a number of factors, including a high caffeine intake, smoking, dehydration and certain medications.

To counteract this, you can change your diet or take a nutritional supplement that stimulates your natural tear production.  If that doesn’t work, you can also resort to eye drops.

Ensure that you are wearing contact lenses that have been specifically prescribed for you. If you have purchased theatrical contact lenses or colored contact lenses for a special occasion without a prescription then this can result damage or irritation to your eyes.

If these simple tips don’t clear up your contact lens discomfort, or if you are experience very strong discomfort, consult your eye doctor as soon as possible.  A wide range of solutions exist to help you combat eye irritation from contact lenses – there is no reason to suffer!

Read more about the safe use of contact lenses.