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Possible Causes and Solutions to Contact Lens Irritation

17th Mar 2020

Wearing contact lenses come with a lot of freedom and perks. If you have worn contact lenses for a few times or a regular user you would know that it is not all glitters and gold, at some point in your contact lens wearing time you must have felt some irritation. This discomfort can range from minor irritation of the eyes and dry eyes to sight-threatening infections. These irritations are present regardless of the fact that you are wearing cheap contact lenses or ones you bought from a doctor. This remains true for prescribed and cosmetic contact lenses alike. So, if you have experienced any level of discomfort in your eyes while contact lenses, it is most probably because of the following reason.

Improper care:

This is one of the main reasons why we feel discomfort in our eyes while wearing contact lenses. Contact lenses are sensitive and delicate instruments of sight correction and they are used on probably the most sensitive and important part of the human body, so they as for extra care and caution. Some common mistakes that we make are failing to clean and store the contact lenses properly, letting them dry and especially not washing your hands before putting them on or removing them. Contact lenses are easily contaminated with daily use items like makeup, perfumes, hair products, and water. Another problem with contact lenses especially colored contact lenses is sharing your contact lenses with someone. These activities lead to dry, itchy, and irritating eyes and can be easily avoided by avoiding the above-mentioned activities.

Improper fitting of contact lenses:

The eye size and shape are unique for every person. Since the size and shape of the eyes are unique, so should be the pair of contact lenses for them. When your doctor prescribes you contact lenses he performs multiple measurements of your eye and then prescribes the proper size of the contact lens. But there is always an odd case of poor fit that can lead to scratchy irritation, slight pain, wavering, and blurred vision. Another indication is that you feel discomfort in either one or sometimes in both eyes after wearing contact lenses. The best approach is to take off the colored eye contacts straight away and consult your eye care professional.

Environmental changes:

Environmental changes are also a great factor that causes irritation. It takes time for your eyes to adjust to climate change. Moreover, environmental allergens like pollen, dust, dirt, and even rain can lead to irritating eyes. If not treated properly can lead to infections. Dry eyes are a serious problem for people during the winter season and can be avoided by drinking water regularly. The best approach for environmental irritation is to switch to daily disposable contact lenses so that you can replace the pair without much trouble.

Wearing contacts longer than their prescribed duration:

Contact lenses are designed with an expiry date and like everything else with an expiry date, it is always a dangerous venture to wear them beyond their prescribed duration. So, it is important to dispose of contact lenses according to the time specified on the pack.