What Is Contact Lens Discomfort?
There may be no need to define “contact lens discomfort” because the phrase itself says everything, doesn’t it? However, a definition is helpful because some patients confuse contact lens pain with “contact lens-associated dryness” or “contact lens dry eye,” which are similar but not the same.
A comprehensive description of contact lens discomfort that recognises these aspects of the condition can be defined as:
1. Consistent or periodic awareness of or discomfort in the eye while wearing contacts.
2. There may or may not be vision problems.
3. The sensations are caused by a lack of compatibility between the contact lens and the surrounding environment.
4. Contact lens wear may be reduced or discontinued as a result of this.
Contact lens discomfort only occurs with the use of contact lenses, and it can be caused by either contact lens-specific or environmental factors. The wettability of the lens material, the lens design, lens fit, wearing modality (daily wear vs extended usage), and lens care solutions are all lens-specific causes of contact lens discomfort.
But is using contact lenses safe? Well, why not? They are safe if you keep them safe!
Safety Trick 1: Contact Solution
With the use of contact lenses, you mustn’t overuse them, especially for longer periods than your doctor recommends. Dry eyes, redness, irritation, and, in rare circumstances, headaches can result from excessive contact lenses. When you take out your lenses, there are a few cleaning tips recommended by professionals to avoid any discomfort the next day:
• Do not put your lens back into the old solution in your contact lens case when you remove it. Every time, throw out the old solution, clean the lens case, and refill it with a fresh batch.
• Do not store your lenses in tap water as a substitute for the lens cleaning solution. Water will never be a substitute for lens solution, a sterile, isotonic fluid that helps destroy bacteria and keep your contact lenses safe.
•Even if you clean your lens completely every day, it will accumulate residue over time. It is impossible to remove this residue without causing damage to the lens. The only option at this point is to change the lens.
Safety Trick 2: Do You Have Two Dry Eyes? Don’t Ignore It!
These symptoms could be caused by excessive use of contact lenses or a medical condition known as dry eye disease (DED). Dry eye symptoms include:
• Redness and pain in the eyes
• Foreign body sensation or gritty eyes
• Low eye moisture or wetness
• Light sensitivity
• Itchy, painful, weary eyes or
• Blurred vision
Using lubricating eye drops moisturises your eyes, making blinking smoother and thereby reducing discomfort. The majority of dry eye situations can be resolved by switching to a lens that can retain more moisture.
Safety Trick 3: Take A Break
By reducing the use of contact lenses by a few hours, you can significantly reduce end-of-day discomfort. Assume the lens manufacturer’s recommended wear time is twelve hours. Attempt to limit your lens use duration to ten hours to provide your eyes with the rest they require. Another smart idea is to switch from lenses to eyeglasses rather than to leave them on until bedtime. This may also assist in lessening eye strain and avoiding the dreaded “tear the lens out” dryness.
Safety Trick 4: Hygiene Of Contact Lenses
The golden rule, pandemic or not, is to thoroughly wash your hands before touching anything, including your lens and eyes, to avoid contamination. Hand and eye hygiene can be maintained with just a bar of unscented soap and a clean towel. It’s also important to keep your nails trimmed to avoid harm to your cornea, prevent contact lens tears, and keep dirt out of the lens.
Safety Trick 5: Use Of Contact Lens With Makeup
Makeup on the face is lovely, but not so much on the interior of the eye. Makeup that goes into your eye by accident can cause a lot of irritation and even injury. This is much more difficult for persons who wear contact lenses. Makeup may adhere to contact lenses, producing irritations such as redness, watery eyes, and, in the worst-case scenario, an allergic reaction to makeup ingredients.
• Make sure you’re wearing your contacts before applying eye makeup, and then apply it delicately around the eyes (avoid the skin that comes in direct contact with the lens).
• To remove eye makeup, first take out your contacts, making sure not to get any makeup on them, and then use your eye makeup remover.
We hope these tips were of any use to you, and we wish you a smooth transition from eyeglasses to contact lenses!