Discover more about these risks and how to avoid them
Contact lens problems range from mild irritation and discomfort to serious and potentially sight-threatening infections.
Lots of people who wear lenses suffer from problems. Lens irritation and discomfort are relatively common but thankfully easily dealt with.
However, some more serious contact lens problems require expert medical attention.
Contact lens problems and irritation can be caused by:
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Improper care or use of your lenses
Soft lenses are particularly delicate and should be cared for as recommended by the manufacturer. Failing to clean your lenses properly, letting them dry out, or not washing your hands before putting them in can result in lens discomfort and irritation.
If your contact lenses come into contact with make-up, perfume and hair products, this can also cause problems.
Your contact lenses should never be lent to anyone else, as they can carry bacteria.
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Wearing contact lenses for too long
There are many different types of contact lens. Some can only be worn for a few hours, while others can be worn overnight. Wearing lenses for longer than recommended can cause irritation and discomfort. Wearing lenses that are worn out or past their use-by date can also cause problems, including infections from bacteria.
Always replace your lenses as soon as recommended by the manufacturer or your eye doctor.
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Eye infections from contact lenses
Eye infections caused by the bacteria on contact lenses can potentially be quite serious. If left untreated, an eye infection could be sight-threatening. It’s important to see an eye doctor as soon as possible if you think you may have an eye infection.
If your eyes are frequently red, sore or swollen after wearing contact lenses, you probably suffer from contact lens irritation. Lens irritation can also cause dry eyes, blurred vision, and a constant feeling that there is something in your eye.
We can diagnose contact lens-related problems by looking at your eye on a slit lamp. It may require a special dye called fluorescein to be put into your tears to show more detail. This only lasts a few minutes in your eyes then is drained away naturally.
Preventing and treating contact lens problems
Thankfully, there are plenty of things you can do to avoid contact lens irritation and discomfort. Caring for your lenses and using them properly will help to avoid many problems, including infection.
A change in the type of lenses you are using or getting your prescription updated may also help relieve lens irritation. You could also consider laser vision correction as a permanent solution to lens discomfort.
At Eye Institute, we are highly experienced and our laser vision correction treatments are advanced.
Is it bad to wear contact lenses every day?
Some people’s eyes can tolerate wearing contact lenses for longer periods than others. You may need to reduce the number of hours or days of the week you wear contact lenses.
Can contact lenses cause permanent damage to the eyes?
Possibly. A severe infection can cause permanent scarring to the cornea. If there is not enough oxygen supply to the cornea, abnormal blood vessels can grow.
Will eye drops help my irritation?
Possibly. If the irritation is due to the contact lenses drying out the eye, then lubricant eye drops can improve the comfort of the eyes.
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Millions of people wear contact lenses safely every day. But there is a risk of getting an eye infection from them.
Keratitis is the most common eye infection from wearing contact lenses. It is when the cornea—the clear, dome-shaped window of the eye — becomes infected. In some cases, it can scar the cornea, affecting your vision. If the cornea is severely scarred, a corneal transplant may be needed to eliminate damage from the eye infection and have clear vision again.
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