You rely on your contact lenses for clear vision, but you notice that your eyes tend to feel gritty and uncomfortable by the end of the day. This is a common experience for many contact lens wearers, and it often points to one thing—the symptoms of dry eye disease.
The relationship between contact lenses and eye dryness is a direct one. Wearing contact lenses can lead to dry eye. This is because contact lenses sit on your cornea, reducing access to oxygen and absorbing moisture from your eyes. They also lead to numbness (neurotrophic keratopathy) over time, preventing your eye’s ocular surface from quickly responding to challenging environmental changes.
How Contact Lenses & Dry Eye Connect
A delicate system called the tear film keeps your eyes lubricated and comfortable. Contact lenses sit on top of the tear film, reducing the flow of oxygen and absorbing moisture.
Your Tear Film & Contact Lenses
Think of your tear film as having three layers—oil, water, and mucus—that work together to hydrate your eyes. The oil layer, produced by the meibomian glands in your eyelids, is particularly important for preventing evaporation.
A contact lens can absorb the moisture from your eye’s surface, like a tiny sponge. It can also limit the natural spread of tears across your eye, which means less lubrication and more irritation.
Types of Lenses & Dryness
Some contact lens materials are more breathable or hold moisture better than others. However, even with modern lenses, long hours of wear can cause symptoms of dryness in many people.
Signs of Dry Eye From Contacts
Discomfort caused by contact lenses often builds slowly as the day goes on, becoming more noticeable in the evening.
What to Look For
Pay attention to how your eyes feel, especially toward the end of the day. Common signs of dry eye include:
- A scratchy or gritty feeling, like something is in your eye
- Redness or general irritation
- Blurry vision that comes and goes, especially after you blink
- A constant need to blink more to try and clear your vision
- Feeling like you have to take your lenses out earlier than you’d like
If you notice these symptoms, we suggest visiting an eye care professional.
Short-Term Ways To Manage The Dryness
Chronic dryness can make wearing contacts nearly impossible. Over time, your eyes may even become more sensitive and less tolerant of contact lenses. However, if you’re not ready to part with your contacts, there are a few ways to get some temporary relief.
Quick Relief
Preservative-free rewetting drops or other at-home dry eye therapies can offer a quick moisture boost. Taking regular breaks from screen time also gives your eyes time to recover, as focusing reduces our blink rate, making it harder for our eyes to spread fresh tears.
Consider Different Lens Options
Sometimes, a switch to a daily disposable lens or a lens made from a different, dry eye-friendly material can help. It’s always best to follow proper wear and care recommendations for any type of contact lens. You may also need to stop wearing your contact lenses for a certain period of time.
Surgery & Dry Eye
Refractive Surgery
If you’re caught between wanting clear vision and struggling with daily irritation, you may have wondered whether corrective surgery is right for your situation.
Unfortunately, the answer is complicated. Corrective surgery is normally not recommended for patients with unaddressed dry eye symptoms. A thorough evaluation of your eyes will help us determine how to manage your symptoms and whether you are a candidate for surgery.
Dry Eye Surgery
While refractive surgery might not be the right option for you, we also offer dry eye and corneal surgery. These procedures are generally designed to increase the performance of your tear film. If you think that you might benefit from one of these procedures, don’t hesitate to contact us.
Your Options For Lasting Vision
At Vector Eye Centre, we offer a range of ophthalmology-related services, including dry eye and refractive surgeries. Our team is here to help you explore your options for clear and comfortable vision.
Don’t hesitate to contact us today.
