Wearing contact lenses for a long time can trigger dry eye. Studies show that about 50 percent of people who wear contact lenses develop dry eye disease. Contact lenses can cause dry eyes if not used rightly, especially if you are already vulnerable to the disease.

Dry eye is already a problem for people who do not wear contact lenses. The symptoms can be more noticeable and severe for contact lens wearers.
 

Signs Your Contact Lenses Are Causing Dry Eye

Telltale signs include:

• Itchiness and soreness

• Eye redness

• Eye fatigue

• Burning or stinging feeling

• Light sensitivity

• Blurry vision

Talk to your eye doctor if you experience these symptoms.

Why Are Your Contact Lenses Causing Dry Eye?

 Your contact lenses could be triggering dry eye due to:

Lack of Oxygen

 The transparent front part of your eye, the cornea, allows light and oxygen to enter your eye. Contact lenses covering your cornea may stop oxygen from flowing through your eyes. As a result, your eyes may feel itchy and dry. Although some contact lenses allow oxygen to reach your eyes, prolonged contact-lens use can still cause dry eye.

Friction

 A tear film covers your eyes. It comprises oil, water, and mucus. If you are prone to dry eye disease, your tear film may be deficient. Contact lenses can cause friction or abrasion if your tear film is deficient. That may cause your eyes to feel dry and painful.

How Can You Ease Contact Lens-related Dry Eye?

 There are several ways you can treat contact lens-related dry eye.

• Eye drops. Your eye doctor can prescribe suitable eye drops to help keep your eyes moist. Your doctor will ensure the eye drops are safe to use while wearing contact lenses. Talk to your eye doctor before using over-the-counter eye drops to relieve your dry eyes.

• Daily-wear contact lenses. Daily-wear contact lenses can be a great alternative if your contact lenses are causing dry eyes. That is because these contact lenses do not risk protein accumulating on your lens or the lens drying out after some time. Because daily wear contact lenses are upkeep-free, there is no risk of improper care causing eye problems.

• Scleral lenses: Scleral lenses fully cover your cornea and allow oxygen to enter the eyes. This helps ensure that your cornea is comfortable and unlikely to become dry. Also, the liquid pool between the scleral lenses and your cornea guarantees moisture for your eyes. That way, it provides relief from dry eyes.

• Contact lenses with low water content. Somewhat contradictory, low water content lenses can help moisten your eyes more than high water content contacts. That is because high water content lenses can drain water from your tear duct. That may cause your eyes to become dry over time.

• Orthokeratology (Ortho-k). Ortho-k treatment has you wearing contact lenses while you sleep. These lenses fix your cornea as you sleep and allow oxygen to enter your eyes to reduce eye dryness. By wearing them at night, you can do without them during the day, eliminating the risk of dry eye from wearing contacts for long periods.

• Eye vitamins. When ingested, vitamins A, C, E, B6, B9, B12, lutein, and zeaxanthin can boost your eye health. Healthy eyes can make contact lenses feel comfortable.

To learn more about contact lenses causing dry eye, call NewView Family Eyecare at (319) 236-2020 to reach our office in Waterloo, Iowa.